Still Dream of Forgotten Past
by Killjoi
Summary: After the battle in Burgess with Guardians of Children and Jack Frost, imprisoned Pitch Black is weakening. With the safety of Children on the scale and old foes on the rise, Pitch Black and the Guardians of Children must travel across dimensions to recover forgotten past to fight against an ancient evil and to protect not only Earth but the entire Universe.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,

Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,  
It lies behind stars and under hills,  
And empty holes it fills,  
It comes first and follows after,  
Ends life, kills laughter."  
― **J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit or There and Back Again**

Pitch Black, the bogeyman, woke up from his sleep in the damp cave of his home. What he first noticed was that his back felt strained. Badly.

He sighed. It was hard sleeping on the floor despite cuddling against the black darkness and his ragged cloak.

He got up, sagging under the weight of darkness that filled his room endlessly in every corner of his den. His last fight with guardian put him in the retirement and despite his hunger for fear, he felt that something else was amiss after the battle and missing opportunity to recruit Jack Frost.

Or was it only that? It was something entirely with strange episodes he been having when feasting on fear. Lately, he saw a bright flashback of a young girl and beautiful woman when he tried to harvest fear in kids, leaving him dazed. It was followed by an explosion inside of his head that left him dizzy, forcing him to retreat back into the night.

And so, with every hunger pangs that came with stabbing pain, he simply gritted his teeth and staved it off. He no longer schemed throughout the day and night for a new way to scare children nor did he check the world map where the individual lights still shined bright. But he could feel that the darkness was getting restless. They began to whisper to him.

They were murmurs- a brief echo that dissipated. But now, they were whispering the same sentence over and over again.

_Feed us._

He shivered when recalling the voices that came from the darkness. Voices that whispered in a sweet sing-song voice while others were dry, raspy and ancient. But he checked, again and again, to see where the whispers came from but all there was blackness and nothing else. Eventually, after a long search, he would fall asleep.

He stared into the cracked mirror. His usually pale face was even paler in stark contrast to his dark heavy shadows under his eyes. With his sharp cheekbone and hungry dark eyes with oily black hair, he looked much like the dead. He could bear the darkness shifting about at night but the whispers have made him unable to sleep. He cringed at his slumped black hair. He tousled his hair about, trying to slick it backward but after multiple attempts, he gave up and left it as it is.

He smelled a small whiff of fear and automatically began drooling, his lip drawn back with his sharp white teeth showing. But once again, he retracted his teeth and clutched the sink. The wave of pain hits him and he staggered backward, gasping. He retched into his hands and felt something wet between his fingers. A black liquid dripped off his hand onto the floor.

He widened his eyes. Suddenly, the smell of fear spiked up his nose that smelled pungent like a cloud of cigar smoke.

It was his fear.

Quick on his feet, he dashed to the main cove as fast as his shadows could carry him, leaving behind the strange black liquid on the floor.

The drops of strange black regiment shifted in the dark ever so secretly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." **  
****― ****Plato**

He rushed to the entrance of the cave where overhead, a bed was positioned. Although after the guardians battle, he hasn't been able to get out for a while as his own fear hold himself at bay, this time it was different.

He couldn't tell if it was blood that was coming out of his mouth. But every time he coughed up the black liquid, he could feel himself losing his power. He couldn't remember last time he bled. He didn't drop single blood when he fought with the guardians. All he lost was a single tooth and his pride.

He had to get out. Get out and get help.

Death never existed for him. He realized a long time ago that it was strange to fear death when he never had a memory of death. He could only remember existing. Yet, he remembers the encounter of death itself as he rampaged during the dark age. Fear and death went in hand in hand and that was enough for fear to fear death.

He crushed through the boarded wooden entrance and squinted under the noon sun. He hissed under his breath and leaped outside. He should have been more cautious, checking if a Guardian was posted outside to attack him, but such caution did not matter anymore. He could barely see five feet in front of him.

He felt a wave of starving nausea and he retched again. He caught it in his hand and he wiped it disgustingly onto his cloak. He should at least try again to feed on fear. Any kind of fear.

But in broad daylight, fear was scarce. He only smelled the fragrance of pine needles and cut grass.

And so he picked the only option he had. He disappeared into the shadow, traveling as fast as he could muster in pain. He went to the house where the kid of Jack Frost lived.

He couldn't remember the kid's name but he knew where the kid lived. In a moment, he was in the shadow of the bed of the kid's room.

He glided on the floor and stood up to look around. It didn't look much different than the last time he entered. Perhaps more pictures of dinosaur and a drawing of Jack Frost with his sister that was overcrowded with sparkles and croaked happy birthday writing. The walls were still painted deep blue with planetarium overhead of a single bed. On the right side stood a messy desk with window overhead and on the left were bookcase and a closet side by side. The alarm clock on the desk read at 3 o'clock. He heard a slam of a car outside and rapid footsteps. Reactively, he hid in the closet.

"Jamie, don't forget about soccer practice at 4:30. Pippa's mom is going to come around and pick you." Jamie's mom yelled downstairs. He recalled Jack yelling such name during their last fight. He was at the right house.

"Got it!" Jamie said as he walked into his room. Downstairs, Sophie's laughter echoed.

He could see Jamie walking in from the small gap of the closet where the light still shined through. Jamie reached across his bed to grab his phone perhaps to text his friend. Pitch leaned forward a curiously-perhaps bit too much-and tumbled out of the closet back into the room.

But Jamie didn't widen his eyes in a surprise of in fear. He ignored him.

Pitch's stomach sank. He was forgotten, once again. This time, it wasn't a crushing disappointment but dread. He tried to grab Jamie but he passed through like a ghost. He needed to do something. Anything.

Conjuring his last remnant of power, he brought darkness inside the room. Jamie looked up, feeling that the room was suddenly darker. He frowned briefly and then went back to his phone on his bed. Pitch rolled his eyes and sighed. Kids were always glued to their phone these days. His darkness grabbed as many objects he could and rattled. Jamie looked up from his phone and gasped. Jamie was frightened and Pitch smirked weakly. Finally some attention.

From his shadow came his dark horse and his screeching filled the room and hollow bats flew about in the ceiling. Jamie dropped his jaw and gasped.

The dark horse summed up everything.

"Pitch?" Jamie whispered and rubbed his eyes as a blurry form began to take shape in the middle of his room. After a good rub, he could see Pitch Black, sagging and gasping with sudden lethargy. His hunched back straightened quickly as he tried to appear imposing.

"What are you doing here? We defeated you!" Jamie stuttered in bewilderment. "I'm not scared of you anymore." Suddenly Jamie realized he was all alone in his room and even though it was broad daylight, the room felt cold. Jamie felt the cold sweat running down his spine.

Pitch smiled. The kid was a terrible liar.

"What do you want? Why are you here?" Jamie asked rapidly. Kids always have so many questions.

"Kid," Pitch interrupted, "I need you to contact Jack."

Jamie looked at Pitch more closely. Pitch appeared paler than usual as if all the blood has drained his face, leaving behind patchy whiteness. Something black was smeared across his mouth.

"Are you alright?" Jamie said, his face turning from surprised fear into something else that Pitch couldn't recognize.

"Call the Guardians. Get Jack," Pitch stumbled over the word as he started to cough violently. He crumbled to the floor. The dark horse that has been imposingly roaming around the room neighed softly and prodded Pitch by his side. The last thing Pitch heard was Jamie shouting his name, his fear changing from no longer for himself but for Pitch.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**"****Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness." ****  
****― ******Anne Frank****

Jack Frost woke up with a beam of sunshine raining down on his back. He scrunched his face and stretched his arms. Beside him, Baby Tooth tweeted, greeting him good morning.

"Good morning Baby Tooth" Jack greeted back.

With a smile of satisfaction, he got his staff and carry about throughout the day.

His first stop: the North's workshop hall.

It was summertime and there was no reason to greet people with snow and frost alike in the region of western hemisphere where his belief was strongest. And although he has traveled around the globe following the change of season, many gave him different names and different liking toward himself. It was not bad being worshiped as holy being or a deity but, it just didn't sit right with him so he left as soon as he could.

However, he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy his travels. It was enlightening and he got to meet many people.

But in Burgess, he would have to wait for winter.

And so, he took a liking roaming about the North's workshop where the workers and friends were still busy preparing for oncoming Christmas. Their jobs never end but just as they would work hard, they also party hard. And with his core being fun, it was hard not to be attracted to the workshop and not treat it as a second home.

It was his usual afternoon nap in the archway of the window when his ears perked and he heard the call. Only one kid had permission to call him.

Startled, Jack shoot up from his nap, hitting his head on the top of the window frame.

Last time he recalled, he told Jamie to send him a call when he was in danger. He was using it now.

Anxiety gripped his heart and his head rushed through scenes that filled him with apprehension. But he shook his head, whistled for Baby Tooth and took off, leaving a blazing trail of frost behind him.

He arrived at Jamie's house as quick as he could. He would congratulate himself with a pat on the back for the record time, but it was not the right moment. He told Baby Tooth to stay outside, just to watch over the house. He knocked on the window of Jamie's bedroom and waited. No response.

He knocked harder.

Still nothing.

Readying to storm in, Jack took a step back and almost ran into Jamie that popped out underneath the window and propped it open.

"There you are! You came just like you said you would!" Jamie said in amazement. "You came so fast."

Jack was confused and relieved. Jamie looked perfectly fine.

"It's been a while to kiddo. How have you and Sophie been?" Jack said as he rustled Jamie's hair. Jamie smiled but thinking of the current situation, he frowned.

"Actually I'm better than fine, but I called you because of Pitch Black."

"What?"

Jamie finally gestured toward his bed and there was Pitch, sleeping on Jamie's bed with a laboring breath.

"I think something is wrong with him. He wanted me to call for you. Well, you and the Guardians."

Jack was taken back. He wasn't expecting to see Pitch of all the people in Jamie's bed. Jack carefully tiptoed around the bed but he didn't have to. It was apparent Pitch was knocked out cold. Jack wondered if Pitch was thinner than before and if he could make a comparison to any supernatural being, he appeared like a sleeping vampire, pale as snow.

"He was coughing really hard before and some black stuff came out of his mouth. Then he fainted. Do you think maybe...he's dying?" Jamie asked worryingly.

Jack scratched his head. He wasn't sure if spirits could die. He knew they could die if they didn't have enough belief to maintain their forms in the plain but Pitch has been around since the middle age. Perhaps even longer.

Pitch groaning interrupted his thought. Jack sighed. This was the man that wanted to destroy the Guardians. And now he was here, in pain and Jack couldn't ignore it. Even Jamie had an eye of sympathy for Pitch as he stood by.

"I can try taking him to the workshop and see what they can do for him. Maybe Man on the Moon will know." Jack said.

"He looks like he is having a nightmare." Jamie looked on expectantly at Pitch as if he will wake up at any moment. Then, he walked beside the bedside with a bit of hesitation and stroked Pitch's hair gently. For a moment, Pitch's groaning eased and he relaxed under each stroke.

"Works every time with Sophie" Jamie smiled. "You think he's going to be alright?"

Jack stared at Pitch and then back at Jamie.

"I don't know."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I do not speak as I think, I do not think as I should, and so it all goes on in helpless darkness."

― Franz Kafka

Jamie couldn't come with Jack even if he wanted to. After all, he did have soccer practice at 4:30. And so Jack took Pitch by the arms and used the portal bomb to jump across with Baby Tooth twiddling in confusion and disgust at the new guest or, the new patient.

The weight of Pitch by his side, he was relatively surprised how light Pitch was despite his tall and looming height. It was as if one blow of wind and Pitch could be lifted away to the sky.

With one foot set at the workshop, hustle-bustle died and everyone looked toward Jack with unconscious Pitch by his side. One elf frantically began to run around in panic while Yetis watched on, carefully assessing every move. It wasn't soon later that North appeared behind the wooden door, taking control of the room entirely with his classic red suit.

His blue eyes usually twinkling with curiosity and wonder was clouded with confusion and befuddlement.

"Jack, what's going on? I have been hearing that Pitch is in the Workshop with you." North asked as he stomped closer to Jack and he frowned in disdain as he remembered last time Pitch was in his workshop. It wasn't a pretty memory. Then finally, he noticed a Pitch by Jack's side, unconscious. Suddenly his eyes soften as if with a single glimpse, he understood the situation.

"It's a long story North. But a shorter version is, I think Pitch needs help. He's...not well."

North didn't say anything but instead he turned back toward to the massive wooden door and walked across the hallway with Jack following by his side and icy wind swirling around Pitch, gently carrying him to what eventually was a warm room with a simple bed with red covers, a window with dark blue curtains and a wooden reading desk with a wooden chair.

"You can let Pitch rest here for a while. But I want to hear the story, Jack." North said and he crossed his arm. Jack looked at his staff and sat on the reading desk and told him how he got a call from Jamie and so on.

By the end, North had both his eyebrows raised to the ceiling, looking even more flustered than before.

"Pitch trying to seek help from the very kid that defeated him? This is strange, even for Pitch." North pondered. "And this black liquid he has been coughing up, what do you think it is?"

"I'm not too sure. I think he lost a lot of his power since our last fight. Maybe he is having trouble getting back on his feet?" Jack questioned. "I mean, have you ever seen Pitch behave this way in the past? You guys have known him longer than I have."

Jack had a point and his theory was well sounded. North's scrunched his face as he tried to remember anything close to Pitch's behaviour during the dark ages and their separate fights. But he drew blanks. Shrugging, they both looked back at the pale man who drew staggering breath in his sleep.

"Time to call the rest of the Guardians. Just in case." North said resoundingly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**"****Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." ****  
****― ******Terry Pratchett****

Pitch dreamed of gold, silver, and black.

It was by far, the strangest dream he could remember dreaming. For one thing, he knew he was in a dream, a dream which he rarely did. Often than not, they were shapeless and colorless, a simple void where he gazes at nothingness and nothingness also gaze back at him. But it was his old companion and he never felt restless, but serene and calm in its presence.

This dream was different.

The dream warped around himself, folding and unfolding within and without until he realized he was floating, looking down at a city he doesn't recognize. It was bright, filled with gold rays of light and bronze decorative which shined so bright that Pitch had to shield his eyes. Beyond the city stood a horizon, and beyond the horizon, there were a scattering of stars. A single definition floated in his mind and it was what pertains to his understanding of perfection.

Suddenly he felt himself be pulled by vicarious hold he couldn't shake. He fought at first, but soon gave in and let himself be led until he saw a family in a single window of a strange building that twisted its shape like blown glass. Warmth radiated from the window with a beautiful woman and a young daughter playing a game he did not recognize. On the far left, a man sat by the fire with his back to the window, but for some reason, Pitch knew he was smiling. It was a picture of a happy family.

A tear slides down on Pitch's face and fell to the empty abyss below. Astonished at the tear, Pitch didn't have time to yell in surprise as the scene shifted.

Next scene, there was a battle. A silver ship similar to the theme of the city stood grandiosely as it floated above all in the night sky. But on closer inspection, there were bits and pieces that fly around the ships and it was a ship's broken parts. An explosion rocked the great ship and the crew fought off strange black inky creatures and beasts that radiated ancient and raw energy of darkness. The beasts tore men apart like papers but others continue to fight valiantly. Amongst all men stood a man that had his back turned against Pitch but he donned a massive gold cape and a silver sword that radiated light.

Pitch felt drawn to the man with a gold cape and a silver sword and he stretched his hand to simply touch the mirage but swirls of broken noise of explosions cascaded down in his ears and he was blown into the next scene.

When he checked that he was whole, he looked up once more. A giant concrete gate stood tall almost touching the very fabric of the night sky with alien pattern emerged. In front, a desolate man with a pitying sword sat on top of a rock, once more his back against to Pitch, holding onto what Pitch saw as a locket. The man slumped forward in sadness and time crept forward. If the strange whisper from the gate did not destroy the man's mind, the time provided the ammunition. Rapidly, the man lost weight and did not shave. Suddenly the man rose up out of the blue, enchanted by a clear voice coming from the door.

Pitch suddenly felt himself screaming, shouting, and yelling for the man to stop. For him to not open the gate. Beyond the gate, he felt something ancient; something that can't be named. But his voice was empty of sound and the man gave no sign of hearing. The man slowly drew himself to the gate and unlocked the door with a silver key. With both hands on the gate, he pushed it open just a crack.

But only a crack was all it needed. From the gate out came a dark smoke that moved with purpose despite not having a solid form. It slowly crept out as if to test the air and it's newly founded freedoms and then quickly, they rushed out in rapid waves, crushing the man in a storm of darkness. The man disappeared into the dark like water vapor, merging with a dense black fog.

The darkness soon reached up to where Pitch hovered, where he couldn't move no matter how hard he tried. It submerged him like an ocean where it was bottomless with no way to know whether he was facing the surface or the deep below. He couldn't breathe. It was drowning him, consuming him.

Then he heard a single voice and a single slit of light slicing through the thick abyss.

He opened his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**"****A man must dream a long time in order to act with grandeur, and dreaming is nursed in darkness." ****  
****― ******Jean Genet****

Pitch woke up with heavy sweat, broken breath, and blue frosty eyes that loomed over with worries. He hacked to clear his lungs of any black water he swallowed in his dream, but nothing was there except the beat of his shuttering heart.

Besides him, it was a different story. Sprays of black liquid splattered across the white linen sheet and red blanket. Pitch tiredly frowned at the mess. Then his eyes widen as he was laying in a bed with clean white linen and red berry dyed blanket. He groaned in pain and also in annoyance.

He was at North's workshop. The North Pole of course. Where else would Frost take him?

But on second thought, maybe it was better for him this way after all. They can all gather together in a convened meeting, make a discussion on his condition and maybe, just maybe, help him to get better.

That sounds just delightful. As if they would treat him as a patient when just a couple months ago, he tried to have them all basically killed. He would be counting his breath if they don't try to kill him first. Trying to reach Jack and the Guardians during panic seemed like a good idea but now, it has quickly soured.

Not that it matters since it looked like he was dying, another voice whispered to him inside of his head. He sneered at the voice. He wasn't going to die.

Fear never die.

But maybe he should when he is always forgotten. He was tired of being forgotten.

Also, that dream. Who was that man and why did he feel incredible sorrow? His chest felt as if it caved in. He hasn't felt such emotions for decades.

"Earth to Pitch? Hello? Are you alright?" Jack waved his hand in front of Pitch's face. "Hello?"

Pitch got up abruptly, knocking Jack backward. Jack somersaulted and righted himself again in the air.

"Guess your feeling right as rain," Jack said with dripping sarcasm.

Pitch didn't bother to give him a response. He grabbed his cloak, ready to sink back into a shadow but he felt a cold grip on his arm.

"I can't let you leave. Not after you tell us what's wrong." Jack said. " You don't look so great. Didn't you go to Jamie so you could call me out for help?"

Pitch paused as if he couldn't believe anyone would stop the Nightmare king from leaving.

"Leave me be, Jack." Pitch sighed. "It was a mistake."

Jack glanced at the splattered black liquid on the bed and then back at Pitch.

"No. Until the Guardians get together to figure out what's wrong with you, I can't let you go. I mean, look at yourself! You look like-" Jack bit his lip knowing he said too much.

Jack didn't finish the sentence but he didn't have to. Pitch knew what he meant.

A forgotten past. No remembrance for the future.

Suddenly, the curtains drew close and the small room felt heavy with shadows. Pitch grew bigger and he loomed over Jack. Jack's heart quicken but he stood his ground.

"A ghost you mean?" Pitch asked quietly. "Not alive and already dead remnants?" His voice rumbled.

"You dare to compare me to those pathetic spirits?" Pitch roared and he launched at Jack like a leopard launching at his prey. Jack rolled to the left and Pitch halted at the wall with his palm flat out. Pitch could smell a small amount of fear filling the room. He felt drunk with just a smell of it. It tasted of peppermint with a hint of icing sugar and pine tree.

"Wait, listen to me Pitch. You don't want to do this." Jack said firmly.

But Pitch was not listening. He shifted his body and using his shadows, he grabbed Jack out of the mid-air. The shadows sealed off Jack's mouth so he couldn't shout for help. It was a grave mistake to think Pitch was weaker after the battle. Jack struggled but to no avail.

Pitch slowly walked over to the bundles of shadows and grabbed Jack by his head. Jack widened his eyes as big as the moon. His heart felt as if it would explode.

Suddenly, Pitch caressed his white hair with his long pale hands. It was soft.

Soft like who?

He couldn't finish his thought.

"Why can't I remember?" Pitch murmured. Frustrated, he kept stroking Jack's hair. The name was on his tip of his tongue but it slipped away like water. Soon his heart hardened. Was it so important to remember? He lived for so long-each people's faces were amongst thousands and thousands of portrait in his mind that often just collected dust in neglect.

PItch caught Jack staring with amazement.

"Mmmnhfff" Jack grunted.

Pitch ignored him and closed his eyes, exposing his white teeth as the smell of fear got stronger and concentrated. The fear was muddled with unknown and amazement. He had to eat it quick just before is dissipated. He tasted it lightly, only nipping at the buds.

Rapidly, images flashed in his mind. He saw them before; Jack's fear of being forgotten and his fear of when he died. They both had a sharp taste of peppermint and crystallized ice. Then the image began to mix with the face of a girl and a woman. The woman had a beautiful chestnut hair that curled around her shoulder with dark brown eyes that often hid worries and expressed gentleness and a girl had a golden hair with chocolate brown eyes that shined with mischief and the same gentleness. They seared their image in the back of his eyes.

He suddenly realized he dreamt of these two people.

He felt wretched as the images flashed, too quick for him to grasp but surely having a meaning. He opened his eyes and stumbled to the ground, gagging. He threw up more black liquid along with Jack's fear he couldn't digest and they spread on the ground. The shadows that wrapped around Jack retracted and fell, quickly becoming protective over its master that arched his back in pain. Pitch heaved until he knew there wasn't any fear left in his stomach and the black liquid dribbled down his mouth.

He saw his own reflection surrounded in the shine of the black liquid. He was swaying dangerously back and forth but it was his usual pale self with oils slicked hair, black cloak and sharp chins with golden glowing intelligent and calculating eyes that was like a cat. He blinked. He saw a golden cloak on the slick surface. Pitch blinked again and the illusion disappeared.

He also knew that man. He saw him in the dream, just before the man became consumed by the dark being behind the gate. The man glanced back as if he knew he was being watched. With the dark smog covering his facial features, the man turned and smiled sadly with the locket clutched in his hand. Who were the man, the woman, the girl, and the monsters?

But Pitch didn't have time to think at his own answer as the Guardians burst through the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for long no update. But here it is. In bulk~

Chapter 7

"How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also If I am to be whole."

-C.G, Jung

"Jack, are you alright? We heard noises outside the door!" The tooth fairy queen, Tooth shouted.

But what the Guardians first saw was Jack holding Pitch from losing conscious on the ground surrounded and soaked in a strange black liquid that had no smell and no depth of other colors. The light was swallowed by the black liquid and nothing but darkness radiated from it.

The black liquid oozed from Pitch like a hole in a bucket from his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. His eyes were half open and still conscious. But it was hazy and out of focus as he stared at the Guardians but showed no attempt to flee or fight.

It was straight out of a horror movie.

Echoing gasped escaped their mouth except for the Sandman who used sand to create massive exclamation mark.

"Uh, a little help?" Jack asked, holding on to Pitch.

North step forward from the group and took Pitch into his arms. Pitch felt too light and too thin as if he could be broken like a toothpick. Gently, North cradled him. Pitch did not fight him or even struggled. He closed his eyes to fall back into a dreamless sleep. He could fight them another time.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Bunny, also known as E. Aster Bunnymund took a shuddering breath. Whatever it was, it was bad and he didn't wish it to his worst enemy.

Jack shrugged. "I don't know." Then he told him the same story he told North with updates on Pitch's rampage in the room that left the room with scratch marks on the wall, torn bed and dishevelled reading desk with a chair. Jack rubbed his hands that were beginning to show a slight bruise. Baby Tooth made a worrying sound.

"Nah, it's alright Baby Tooth. I'm fine." Jack said and then hesitantly, "I don't think he wanted to hurt me."

"Let's get this place cleaned up. I have another room for him to be placed." North said and they turned and exited the room. Sinisterly, the black liquid gleaned in the dark.

Baby tooth left abruptly after making a fuss about Jack's bruises. Baby Tooth wrapped bandages around Jack's throat but instead, it became a choking hazard. So after many tries, Baby Tooth checked the time and left for her work to gather teeth.

Thus, everyone except Baby tooth gathered at the Globe room wherein the center, Globe of Belief twinkled like numerous stars. Red carpet was spread out in majestic form with aesthetic of Russian winter concrete, a fireplace that burned bright orange surrounded by dark amber woods combined with golden paints and thick books. They stood awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable at the elephant in the room. Sandy's attempt to lighten up the atmosphere by using smiley emoji went largely ignored.

"So is anyone going to mention why a strange black liquid is coming out of Pitch?" Bunnymund asked. "Last time I checked, that's not normal even for mighty Pitch." He said cynically and crossed his arms. "To be honest, I kinda think he deserves it. He tried to kill us last time we were all together."

An empty message came across everyone's mind.

Tooth slammed the wall. Everyone stared at her as she slowly came back down and let her feet touch the ground. "No one deserves _that_" She emphasized. "Not even Pitch, the Nightmare King."

Sandy nodded in agreement. Bunnymund shook his head in bewilderment at the majority. "Don't make me say I told ya so in the future."

North casually took Bunnymund under his arm like a jolly old friend and tousled his fur. "Dear Bunny, we have to keep Pitch alive to also maintain the balance," he gestured to the globe, "for the world also needs fear.

Sandy nodded again with sand shifting to an image of a scale.

North continued. "And if the scale is broken, it would be a catastrophe. When Pitch comes back to the battle, we will stand once more and we must not let him win!"

"But we can't let him "depart" at the same time." Tooth interrupted.

Bunny shook off the heavy arm and combed his messy fur. "Bollocks, I know that! I'm just saying mate, that I would not forgive him, nor forget what he has done." He looked at each Guardian in their eyes. "None of us should."

They stood silently, remembering old memories of what Pitch did to each and every one of them except Jack, who couldn't hold his curiosity.

"What do you mean, balance?" Jack asked. Sure he was 300 years old, but all this Guardian stuff was still new to him. Tooth smiled at his question like a school teacher, proud of her curious and hopeful child.

"Balance of our role reflects the balance of the Earth Jack. Your Guardian of Fun and you're a new guardian. But as the world changes, Guardians changes too and they shift in shapes and names to match the change that reflects the world. There have been beings that have been around so long they are considered immortal and that's because they are essential in maintaining the balance." Tooth explained. "We aren't the only Spirits that exist. Pitch is rule over Fear which is needed just as much as we need Guardian of Fun."

"Some famous ones are, of course, Mother Nature and Father Time," Bunny added. "Sheesh, how do you not this already?"

"Well, no one taught me. All I remember is you screaming down in my ears most of the time." Jack rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Can we please focus?" North rubbed his brows.

"Alright, here is a quick rundown: when something happens to the Spirits "departs", someone has to replace the role to maintain the balance." Bunnymund rattled his feet impatiently. "Or sometimes, they aren't believed by kids no more which means they aren't needed in the world, so they become what we know as Recollection."

"Recollection?" Jack asked, "like as in antiques?'

Sandy piped in with the image of Frost that slowly dissipated into thin air. Jack looked at him with horror.

"No, not like that, gee, don't scare the kid matey," Bunny said in annoyance. "You become part of Earth and sure, maybe you don't physically still exist, but you're still alive through your element. Just think it like Nirvana." Jack stared at him in disbelief and Bunny grabbed his head and rustled his white hair. "It rarely happens around here so don't worry about it, mate."

"Replacing someone's role is also rare but it has happened before." Tooth frowned.

"But Pitch can't be forgotten. Fear will always exist in a child's heart. Which makes this case even stranger. Without Pitch, the balance would topple. And we do _not_ want that to happen." North emphasized.

"Yeah, at least we know how the homicidal maniac behaves like. Imagine a new Bogeyman even crazier than Pitch." Bunny rolled his big grey eyes.

"Perhaps we can get our answer from the Manny," North suggested. He pressed a red button and a grinding gear resonated in the room. Slowly to the south of the Globe, a small window with the breeze of night air drifted in slowly, rustling their hairs.

All eyes looked up to the moon and there, the moon met their gaze of anticipation.

The baby tooth was having a strange night at her recon mission. She would find tooth underneath the pillow but without a child sleeping in the pillow. She glittered about in curiosity to check where the child has disappeared to. But the room did not give her an answer and remained empty and hollow.

She encountered empty rooms with a tooth under the pillow consecutively throughout the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody."

-Mark Twain

The moon waited patiently until not pin drop could be heard on the ground. Delicately, the moon shone a beam of moonlight.

The moonlight was straight as silver sword and it reflected on the G inscripted center stone. Like a shadow play, the light danced around the shadow slowly and it took a shape of a goose. Then, the beam was gone.

"Mother Goose?" North said in surprise.

The man on the moon hid behind the veil of clouds in reluctance. It gave no more signs But no one cared, they were all trying to remember the last time they saw Mother Goose. Well, everyone except Jack.

"Who's Mother Goose?" Jack asked.

"Mate, you sure need to know some history," Bunny said. "She's the keeper of Storytelling."

"But how is she related to Pitch?"

Sandy pondered for a moment and then a lightbulb went up. He waved his hand in excitement with an image of a book and Pitch emerging from the pages of the book. He continued to point at his charade but Jack looked at him in confusion. But out of the blue, his face lit up.

"I get it! If she the is keeper of Stories, then she might know what's happening with Pitch! Maybe it's a story of Pitch that she has knowledge about." After all, if we all were someone else with a past life, maybe the Bogeyman also was someone else. Sandy rolled his eyes. It was his idea first.

But Tooth was perplexed. "But I checked his broken tooth." Others looked at her as she giggled in embarrassment. "You know, when I punched him. I couldn't help it." She patted her green speckled scales nervously as it changed to purple under the luminescent light. "There were no-"

"Memories. I know. Done talking about me in a third person?" A shadow interrupted at the corner of the room. Slowly, Pitch slinked out of the shadow and stepped onto the light. "Don't you people consider it rude to talk behind others back?" He scowled. He casually glanced up at the moon and smirked.

"Hello, old friend. It's rare to see you hiding behind the cloud on such a clear night." Pitch stated. "Being ever so shy?" He teased mockingly.

"Says the one who hides under the bed." Bunny quipped in retort. Pitch turned around and growled.

Sandy opened his mouth in silent O. Bunny looked like he was seeing a dead rat on the street, North stroked his beard with a twinkle in his eyes, Tooth flew back and forth frantically, and Jack grabbed his staff and pointed toward him in a warning.

PItch took a step forward. "No welcome party for a little ole friend? What a shame." He taunted.

Bunny snorted. "Fancy seeing you here, but it's you that came to us." For a moment, Bunny was satisfied at the discomfort Pitch radiated.

Pitch straightened his back and coughed into his fist. "So it seems." He said bitterly.

"Alright, let's not have a fight here. Not in my workshop. No longer do I want to clean up after another mess." North hold his hand up. "So, what brings you to us?"

Pitch felt for once, that he was strangely out of place. He has willingly asked for help from Guardians no less, his lifelong arch nemesis. But that also just showed how desperate he was. He grimaced at the thought.

"I can't...I can't consume fear." Pitch hesitantly said and he looked to the side, afraid of what he could see in their eyes such as pity at his weakness.

"Uh, isn't that supposed to be a good thing?" Jack asked.

"You pompous idiot. If I can't consume fear, I can't be the Nightmare King, the Bogeyman, the terror that hunt at night!" Pitch shouted. Suddenly, realizing where he was, he shranked back. With his back turned, he continued.

"It's not that there is a lack of fear. I don't know why, but my body rejects it. I savor it, smell it, see it but I can no longer consume it." He paused, knowing he had their attention. He licked his dry cracking lips.

"I have also been seeing things since our last...battle. They don't make sense but every time I try to consume fear or even to spread it, I see an image of a man, a woman and a girl." He let the words hang in the air. "But I don't recognize them. They feel familiar but they are complete strangers."

"But you have no memories Pitch. I would know." Tooth said with a tinge of heartfelt sadness.

"I know that." Pitch said simply. "But the dear Man on the Moon showed you all something if I recall. The Mother Goose."

Sandy who was thinking made a light ball image that lighted on, followed by the books and the three rough image of a man, a woman and a girl.

"Yes, even you can understand." Pitch struggled not to roll his eyes. "Perhaps she would have stories of the three people I can describe. Somehow, it's related. And then maybe." He coughed again but more roughly this time. "Maybe I can get rid of this...condition."

"No, no, no," Bunnymund shook his head. "This is a bad idea! We should throw him in a dungeon of some sort and let him rot."

"Bunny." Tooth warned.

"Come on Tooth! He is just playing tricks on us! On any given chance, he would have left us to rot. Even worst, backstab us when our guard are wee bit down! But to team up with him? No way in Easter Sunday." Bunny said and he gestured to Jack. "You also agree right, Jack?"

Jack gripped his staff hard. He couldn't forget the moments when he felt fear that chilled down his already cold skin and bones. Every time he let his guard down, Pitch has pay back in pain two-fold.

But, Pitch came to see Jamie for a reason. To reason with Jack who knew the same pain of being forgotten. Pitch played the same card he had before, but Jack couldn't ignore it.

Before he could give his answer, the ground shook as a thundering explosion went off behind the closed door. Immediately, the sound of yelling and shouting with entangled chaos followed the explosion. Smothering smoke slowly crept into the ridges of the enclosed wooden door like snakes, ready to devour anything in its path. Abruptly, the door slammed open with the fluttering of smokes and ashes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses."

― **Friedrich Nietzsche**

Jack spun his staff. "Looks like we got a company."

Amidst the dust, a thin tall black figure appeared and it was advancing slowly as if it was testing the ground it walked. It was covered in slick black oil skin that ran off its knife-edge bones like melting wax. Without the indication of two flickering lights placed within the sunken socket, it had no sign of natural life.

"What monstrosity is that? Tooth gasped.

"Bloody hell," North exclaimed. "I just fixed that door."

"Shake my fur and my bushy tail, but I think it's my time to say I told you so!" Bunny suddenly turned his boomerang to Pitch. "Whatever the heck this is, stop it right now!"

They all glanced at Pitch with suspicious doubt that this was all part of his wicked plan. But Pitch stared at the creature in shock just as they have. He met their gaze with profound confusion and sneered at their casting eyes.

"I'm just surprised as you all are," Pitch admitted. He didn't make any movement but looked back at the slicking creature. Suddenly, he took lightly gilded steps with tensed caution and stopped a couple of feet away hesitantly. With a gesture of a hand conducting an orchestra, shadows followed, rising and falling from the hidden corners of the fireplace and underneath the globe which formed a birdcage that trapped the inky creature inside.

For a moment, everyone held their breath.

But the creature emerged from the cage unscathed, passing it through as if it was made out of water. If it had a mouth, it would have smirked tauntingly. After a couple more slinky steps, the creature came face to face with the bogeyman.

"Pleasssse to meet you again, Pitchhhh, the Nightmare Kingss." the creature spoke with multiple strained whispers at different tones. It mockingly lowered its head and the lights deep in the eye socket twinkled wickedly.

"What? It can talk?" Jack proclaimed. Pitch ignored Jack and observed the creature with livid curiosity.

"What are you?" Pitch asked.

"Dear Pitch, We are Fearlings. Don't you recognize ussss?" The creature meekly frowned.

Pitch could feel eyes drilling behind his cloak but he remained silent, racking his brain for the memory of the creature. But, he came up empty.

"I don't know who you are." Pitch said meekly.

"Oh, perhaps we drove you too mad." The creature let out a gurgling sound like water pouring down the drain. It was laughing. "But that was the best part about you. Your rage, your madness, and your darkness that was hidden behind the light. Best we have seen in any being of the galaxy." The lightest tone spoke in glee.

"Together we ravaged planets after planets. Together, we were unstoppable." The medium tone spoke with satisfaction.

"Oh, but that too became redundant and slowly you were losing your touch." The deep tone spoke with boredom.

"We tried to leave, to let ourselves be free of you. Yesss, we all did! But who knew, you tricked us even till the end." The lightest tone claimed.

"Another prison, not behind the gate but within your cursed body!" The deep tone bellowed.

"But, now we are free!" The medium tone exclaimed excitedly.

"And we must free the rest of our kind." The lightest tone solemnly said.

"What the hell is it talking about Pitch?" Bunny said alertly. Freeing the rest of its' inky kind didn't seem like a good idea. Sandy frowned and North gripped his swords tighter.

Pitch just stared ahead in confusion.

"You look confused. But soon, you will understand." The lightest tone said with false sympathy.

The lights in the socket brightened sinisterly. Tooth saw the gleam in its eyes.

"Get away from the creature Pitch," Tooth shouted. But it was too late. Pitch stepped back but the creature dove forward.

"In your afterlife!" They cackled in sync. Suddenly, Fearling grabbed Pitch by the neck. It began to squeeze with a crushing force. PItch's eyes bulged and he clawed at the black bony hands but his pale white hand sank without any grip.

Fearling hissed in his ears. "It's no use. With your death, our kind would be free!"

But Bunny could not stand by any longer. No one was dying, not on his watch. For Sandy, he also felt repulsed by the creature, even more so when Pitch stole his dream sand. Yet, he did not know why. Tooth also brandished her feathers and they flew through the air like sharp knives. But they became swallowed up into the creature's body. The creature laughed at the measly feather.

Bunny threw his boomerang and Sandy swung his whip at the black target. Both hit their market but the creature looked unfazed and slowly, the boomerang sank into the black fearling's body and the whip disintegrated into the air.

"Crimey! It ate my boomerang!" Bunny shouted. "That bloody creature ate my precious boomerang!"

"Precious? Well, then you can have it back." The lightest tone giggled. The boomerang shoots out from its' body and sharply circle back and hit Bunny in the middle of the stomach. He was thrown backward at the impact and hit the bookcases. As Bunny fell back to the ground, the books collapsed on top of him and he did not stir.

Sandy looked at his whip sadly and with a pout, he reproduced two more whips in his hands. With a Viking helmet on top of his head, he raced toward Fearling and violently swung his whip.

But they all disintegrated upon the touch. Shocked, Sandy somersaulted back away from the creature.

The situation looked grim.

Pitch's pale face was starting to turn blue. His knee hit the ground with a solid smack in the red carpet. His eyes were rolling back and his mouth was gaping open like a fish breathing outside the sea. The right hand roamed in the air teasingly until it forced inside of Pitch's mouth. Suddenly, Pitch convulsed with pain in his eyes. Gradually, black liquid poured out of his mouth and Fearlings swallowed every last drop like a mosquito sucking blood. Soon it grew in greater size and mass.

"Somebody do something!" Tooth yelled.

Like lightning, North threw himself at the creature and using two swords, cut the creature's hand. The Fearling screamed in pain as the swords cut through. Pitch dropped to the ground and vomited. After vomiting black liquid, he gasped for air. His eyes were painted with tears and deadly anger. He sharply glared at the creature who continued to screech unearthly sounds. The Fearling lashed out randomly and North grabbed Pitch and stayed back.

Jack formed ice crystals in the air and shoot toward the creature with the speed that sliced the air. But each one of them were swallowed into the body. Jack remained perplexed. Why did North's sword sliced through but not anyone else's?

Suddenly, a powerful moonbeam came from the sky and it filled the room shining dazzling light. Momentarily blinded, the creature halted its' twisting movement.

Pitch felt the realization hit him like a stone. "Jack, make me an ice crystal under the moonlight and throw it at me." Pitch commanded horsley.

"What? Why?" Jack was baffled.

"Just do as I say!" Pitch shouted with more force.

Jack quickly formed a long ice crystal under the moonlight and it became a pure white lance that shone like a diamond. Jack stared at it incredulously. He saw what happened when ice combined with a dark shadow with Pitch but he never thought of combining with moonlight.

"Jack!" Pitch interrupted his thoughts. Fearling was on the move again. It roared in mad anger and stalked toward North.

Jack threw the ice lance and watched Pitch's shadows pluck it out of thin air. The shadows cringed at the moonlight but gave the lance to their master. Pitch grabbed the lance. It burned in his hand. He clutched his jaws and ignored the searing pain in his hand. He only had one chance to do this right.

The creature began striking North rapidly. North showed that he was a master swordsman by repelling each blow with accuracy and speed. Yet the creature continue to attack and North was straining to defend. With two crossed swords, he pushed back Fearing's twisted sharp hands.

Right at the moment, Pitch whirled around behind North and stabbed the ice lance into the black creature's chest. The ice crystals pulsed with moonlight energy in cascading rays of the rainbow. The creature began to scream in the ancient language. It's hollow eyed that begin to show splitting shattering light. Then, it let out a quiet sigh as it exploded into a fine dust of black ash and smog that blew away in the air. The ice lance fell and hit the ground. It shattered into a million pieces that glittered like stars in the night sky.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."

-**Carl Jung**

Exhausted, Pitch collapsed to the ground with his arms spread out. He laid there quietly, hurt and in pain. But very much alive.

North wiped the black liquid from his swords and put them back into the scaffold. Tooth flew to Bunny to tend his wound and Sandy checked on Pitch to check if he was alright. Pitch shooed Sandy away in annoyance as Sandy fretted over the burned hand and bruised throat.

Jack looked at the broken lance, smoking door, and at the moonlight in contemplation.

At the corner, Bunny let out a groan and rubbed his head vicariously.

"Ugh, that's going to leave a mark," Bunny grunted as he rubbed a sore bump that began to form on top of his head. Tooth giggled, relieved that the fight was over and that no one was seriously hurt.

North toggled swords back on his hip and looked at Jack.

"Didn't know your ice crystals could do that," North said, looking slightly proud.

"I didn't know that either," Jack said strangely. But Pitch knew what would hurt the creature. The creature that called itself Fearlings. Manny also knew that moonlight would hurt the creature. He looked at the sky to see if the moon could give him some answers. But Manny was gone once more, hidden behind the cloud.

A sudden yelp came from Pitch himself as the Yetis surrounded him with first aid kits followed by annoying elves. He scowled at them and attempted to hide his wound. But they stare down at him solemnly until he gave up. He let them put a dressing over his throat and his hand. Bunny in the corner was getting the same treatment.

"So, how did you know Jack's crystal with moonlight would hurt the creature?" North asked Pitch as he walked up to him. Jack followed behind and realized everyone was thinking the same question.

Pitch rolled his eyes at the interrogation. "Your swords were made under the moonlight. It was the only thing that hurt me when we fought a long time ago. I just remembered it when you sliced the creature."

"You are welcome by the way." North's eyes twinkled.

Pitch gave him an unflinching dirty look. "I think we are even. Without me, you might be dead."

North's jolly laughter startled Pitch. "And I thank you! We should grab a drink together sometimes. Reminisce about the old times."

Pitch frowned. He hated the easy-going nature of North. Didn't he remember all the terrible things he has done? Pitch tried to remember back but most were a blur. He shook his head, feeling light-headed.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt but what the hell is Fearlings? No offence Pitch, but it looked like it knew you." Jack asked. "Ring any bells?"

"No," Pitch said with the deadpanned face. He was starting to get tired of these questions.

"How did it know we were here?" Bunny asked as he hopped over.

"I don't know!" Pitch snarled.

"How can you not know? It talked as if you guys were buddies! What was it about the whole destroying the world thing with ya?" Bunny snarled back. Pitch ignored the shooting daggers.

"It said it drove you mad." Tooth looked at Pitch into his eyes. "What did they mean by that?"

Pitch felt restless at Tooth's question more than Bunny's question. He opened his mouth, then shut it again. They were all staring at him as if something was off. He could feel the eyes like back in the cave when he knew some _things_ were watching him. He felt like a prisoner.

"I really don't know," Pitch said while tilting his head to the left for any sign of escape path. But he was surrounded by Yetis and Elves alike. He really has done himself in this time. In front of him, Tooth sighed.

Abruptly, a Yeti emerged from the smoky open gate and reported to North in forms of grunts and hand gestures. North's eyes widened.

"It came from one of the guest rooms." North huffed. "Where Pitch was sleeping in."

Black creature. The black liquid that Pitch was throwing up. Something clicked.

"Wait, are you saying it literally came from inside of him?" Bunny was repulsed.

"So when the Fearlings said they were in another prison, they meant within Pitch's body." Tooth said in shock.

Jack realized whatever Pitch was coughing and throwing up, it wasn't a good sign for the world.

"That's why Pitch is losing power. He's made up of this stuff." Jack claimed. They all stared at him with alarm. Fear stanched up the room. Pitch couldn't tell who's who. They were all mixed up and tasted like heavy bile.

Pitch paled. That's it. It was time to get out. Pitch tried to conjure his black sand Nightmare. But he couldn't feel his control over the darkness. Pitch felt rising panic and North abruptly grabbed his shoulder strongly.

"Sorry, but you aren't going anywhere. After all, you are a guest." North said seriously. Pitch tried to struggle but he saw Sandy floating above his head. Sandy gently rained his dream-sand down on his head like falling teardrops. Suddenly, Pitch felt exhaustion and need to sleep hit him like a truck.

"No...stop," Pitch slurred in protest as his eyes flickered. Then, everything faded like they were merely a dream.

Pitch settled down in North's arm. No one said anything but they knew Pitch was too dangerous to just roam around in the open air.

Another flash of realization and utter horror dawned Jack's face.

"Jamie."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted."

― **Emily Dickinson**

Once again, North put Pitch gently onto a soft bed. Then he shut the fortified metallic door. For the final good measure, he put the shattered pieces of ice lance on the floor outside of the door. Then, he assigned one of his most trusted Yetis to watch over the door. Inside his mind, he tried to convince himself imprisoning Pitch was for the greater good.

They had a bigger problem at hand beside Pitch.

A child was in danger.

They fell out of the portal, clumsily tumbling on top of each other in hasty pace while Tooth flew in gracefully, landing with her light tiptoe steps. It was nightfall outside and only a small night lights plug-in shone weakly in the dark from the upstairs window.

Before they could formulate a plan, Jack rushed inside through the front door. "Jamie? Sophie? Where are you guys?" Jack yelled as loud as he could. Their mom was nowhere to be seen despite the darkening sky outside. The rest of the group followed behind, filling up space in the living room.

Jamie was nowhere to be seen. The house was quiet. Perhaps too quiet. Then, there was a small creaking sound upstairs. Quickly, they arrived at the source of the sound: Jamie's room. The state of the room stabbed Jack with fear. The bedsheet was shredded and many objects were broken on the ground amongst torn book. Deep unnatural scratch marks ran against the wall and the broken window allowed a cold breeze to drift in and cast an uncanny chill. Swallowing despair, Jack mustered a whisper. "Jamie?"

"Under here" The bed whimpered. Jack quickly ducked down and saw Jamie starting back with fearful eyes. Jack scooped Jamie out and plopped him down onto the torn bedsheet.

"Jamie, what happened?" Tooth asked.

"Something...something took Sophie and Mom. I tried to call you!" Jamie said as tears began to form in his eyes and his lips trembled with fear. He pointed to the shattered shell on the ground beside the broken lampstand.

"But I was too late. I came back home after soccer practice and found it all like this." Jamie choked against his tears. "What am I going to do?"

Jack hugged the kid tight. "It's going to be alright. I promise we will get them back." Jack looked at the Guardians with determination. "We promise."

All around the world, there were spikes of missing children.

The report consistently consisted of adults reporting hysterically about the disappearance of their child's room as if they were snatched away by Peter Pan.

Amber alert and police search and rescue were launched. But no children, not even their bodies were ever found.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"This fall I think you're riding for—it's a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn't permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling. The whole arrangement's designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn't supply them with. Or they thought their own environment couldn't supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really even got started."

― **J.D. Salinger**

Pitch balled his hand into a fist and slammed the wall. A static pain like lightning travelled up his arm but he didn't care.

How could they trap him in this room? Haven't they imprisoned him long enough in his own lair? He could have escaped when he wanted to in the cave, but here, he was truly imprisoned.

The walls were coated in moonlight glimmers and it pained him to touch them. North truly have planned his imprisonment far back in the past.

North never got around to capturing Pitch until now and Pitch himself was almost half willing. Pitch shook his head at his own stupidity.

Black liquid dribbled down his ripped skin and torn dressing. So the black liquid was his blood after all. It looked unnatural.

Red would have been more natural. Maybe gain sympathy than pure loathing.

He tried not to cough when he felt compelled to. So he choked until he could settle down and swallowed what was in his mouth. He recalled the disgusting face that surrounds him and he grimaced. It was hard not to hate himself when his very core of power was composed of a disgusting creature with inky blackness.

Across the room, there were several attempts of swallowing that failed. Shiny black liquid splattered across the floor and in the corner of the walls.

For now, his coughing actually settled down and he wasn't throwing up "blood." But he realized as he felt his skin crawl, there must have been a reason why his symptoms subsided.

A new one showed like a second stage of the disease. He felt pain around his throat as if something was burning his skin away. He saw his reflection on the metallic door. On his throat where Fearlings bruised him showed a small fracturing crack. His skin was cracking. His very body was breaking apart not from inside, but from the outside.

He has hazily accepted that his body would not support the essence of fear much longer. If what Fearlings told him was true, they were trying to break free by weakening his state and they have well succeeded.

He had no idea how to recover. He did not want to die but with himself on a verge of fading in and out of consciousness, he no longer cared. Maybe he could see the end of his story after all. The pointless days of bitterness about how many lights were up on the hollow globes were no more.

So why did he continue to bang at the door, the wall and shred the bedsheet like a madman?

Well, he never said he wasn't going to go out like a candle without a fight. A final fight where he will give his last breath.

He yelled something incoherent and unhealthy for any child to hear. To catch his breath, he sat down on the floor.

Tooth's question still unsettled him. He did hear voices but he never thought he was mad. He knew it was whispers of darkness. It made more sense now that he realized what his core was beside the essence of fear. In the form of Fearlings and their harsh and coaxing tone, he heard that many times either inside of his head and in the dark.

He hated the voice. They told him secrets but they also told him many lies. He could never tell the differences so he began to ignore them. Soon, they went away.

But it got worse when he was alone, in the dark, feeling vulnerable and imprisoned. He felt this wasn't his first time being imprisoned because his body shuddered at the close proximity of the walls and lack of air. His hand trembled when he approached the metal door with no knob. Ultimately trapped, he let out a frustrated groan and stood up to pound the walls again.

_Where do you think you are going, Nightmare King? _

Pitch whipped his head around but saw nothing except the torn bed.

_Don't you like being here, with us, all alone? _

A honey dripping voice asked in the shadow.

_Imprisoned and all alone. Let's be friends. _

"Go away," Pitch said firmly.

_Be sweet my dear and just let us out. _

"I command you to go away!" Pitch shouted. He shut his eyes and cupped his ears with his hand.

_If you let us out, we can free you from this place. _One beckoned with dark temptation.

_Free, free, be free. _One chipped annoyingly.

"Liars." Pitch sneered. "I won't be existing you mean."

_Yes, you would be dead. _

_But it's much better than listening to us, isn't it? _

_Hahahahahaha! _Maddening laughter filled his head. Pitch groaned at the echoing sound that shrieked in a cacophony.

_Let us out! Let us out! _

_Die, die, die! _

_Let's kill again. Let's savour the sweet tragedy and despair. _

"Please, just stop." Pitch moaned. He fisted his hair in frustration.

_Do not worry Nightmare King. _One said with hypnotic gentleness and all other voices stopped.

_Until your body breaks._

_We are yours to command._

_But after that._

_Everything is ours for the taking._

With a warning, they all went silent.

Pitch clutched his jaws and hugged himself in the dark. In the corner of his mind, he thought of how far the Nightmare King, the bogeyman has fallen. But it was swept away by the wave of fear rolling deep in his stomach.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Darkness... When everything that you know and love... is taken from you so harshly... all you can think about is anger, hatred, and even revenge... and no one can save you."

― Orochimaru

Jamie slowly explained what happened after two cups of water and a cookie for staving off hunger. It was already past dinner time.

He came back home gingerly after soccer practice. The door was unlocked which he thought was strange but he figured his mom just left it unlocked for him. He announced that he was home but was met with silence. He went up to his room and saw the giant claw marks, broken seashell in his room along with Sophie's unfinished drawing on his floor. He panicked. Something took Sophie who was in his room at the time. He ran around the house looking for Mom but he couldn't find Mom either. Then, he heard a strange sound up on the roof so he went under his bed to hide. The last thing he saw was a black foot with sharp nails. It was not human.

"I thought about calling the police. But they won't believe me! I was scared that I would be taken under child welfare so I just waited under the bed, trying to figure out what to do." Jamie said quietly. "Then you guys came and found me here."

"You did a good job, Jamie. The police wouldn't have helped much." Jack admitted. Not with Fearlings.

"Do you think my mom and Sophie are alright?" Jamie asked desperately. His eyes began to tear up again.

"They will be fine matey," Bunny said trying to cheer him up. Jamie rubbed against the furry.

"Do you guys know what the creature is? Is there any way to find them?" Jamie asked again.

"So far we know that the creature actually originated from Pitch." Tooth said carefully. "Do you remember when Pitch came to you for help?" Jamie nodded. "Well he accidentally left behind creatures called Fearlings."

Jamie looked confused. "What?"

"What she is trying to say is, it's Pitch's fault." Bunny said bluntly.

Red anger blossomed on Jamie's face. He felt so angry, he couldn't open his mouth. All type of profanity lit up in his head like fireworks.

"Calm down Jamie. It's not entirely Pitch's fault. It was an accident." Jack said. North and Sandy agreed by nodding.

"But my family! He hurt my family!" Jamie was upset.

"And he's probably the only one who can find them again. After all, they are probably linked somehow." Jack said. He hoped he was right. Seeing Jamie's anger scared him.

Jamie looked at him straight in the eyes. They were calm but icy blues swept across them.

"Take me to him. Right now."

They arrived back in the North's workshop. This time, everyone landed gently without a hint of chaos. North shook his head in wonder of his own toy that seemed to have a thought of its own.

Jamie told them it was a long weekend so it was alright not to go to school. He also told his friend and others that they were going for a family trip so that there was no loose end to where they were. It seems to work out as Jamie's mom actually told coworkers about going on a vacation in the near future. None of them suspected anything. Jamie also knew he had a time limit. He had to find Sophie and Mom before the weekend was over. Otherwise, someone might start asking questions.

Jamie and the Guardians arrived at the metallic door. Yetis saluted in military fashion. North just chuckled and saluted back in a playful manner.

They took a silver key and opened the door. The door opened outward and what Jamie saw was a single lightbulb, a bed that may have been comfy but been torn to shreds and black liquid splattered against the wall. He could see some repeated remnant of wall pounding followed by the black liquid.

"Whoa, it looks like Kamikaze bulldozed here." Jamie forgot his anger momentarily. They all entered the room hesitantly.

Jack grabbed the glimmering ice diamonds outside on the ground and sprinkled them onto the black liquid. Slowly, the black liquid dissipated into smoke.

"Well, wouldn't you like to sprinkle some of them onto me and wish I disappeared?" Pitch suggested with a dark tone in the corner of the wall. He sat with knees bent and his arms holding himself. None could see his hand trembling in the shadow.

"Would it work?" Jack chided. That was a bad idea. Pitch pretended to ponder and played along. "Why don't you give it a try?" His expression twisted to wicked smile.

North went deeper into the room and realized the black liquid was Pitch's blood. Jamie saw it too. Quickly, Tooth took Jamie by his hand and ushered him outside.

"Like what you see?" Pitch said sickening sweet voice.

"We were away for 2 hours. 2 hours Pitch! You didn't have to beat yourself up for it" Jack exclaimed.

"Clearly, it's not good to leave me imprisoned for 2 hours."

"Pitch, we want to help you. It was best to have you isolated and figure out what to do." North emphasized.

Sandy made a stop sign and a whole lot of bandages.

"Sure, not as if you want to trap a monster," Pitch said coldly.

"You are a bogeyman," Bunny said matter of factly. "You are a monster."

Pitch stopped breathing. Sadly, the furry animal was right.

He was a monster to all children alike. A monster they rather forget its' existence.

_All alone. _The hypnotic voice echoed.

"Shut up." He sneered. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

At the corner of Jack's eyes, the remaining black liquid quivered. It was coming alive. North took out his sword.

"Stop what you are doing right now or I cut you down myself."

Pitch stared dead on with his black eyes. "Go ahead."

"EVERYONE, STOP!" A strong female voice echoed. They all turned their heads. Jamie peeked through the door.

Toothiana came walking in with a fury. "What the heck are you guys doing? Can't you see that we have a bigger problem to worry about right now?"

She took the glitter and with a swirl, she dusted it over the room. The black liquids disappeared. "We don't have time to fight amongst ourselves."

"Jack, you bring Jamie to the dining hall. Sandy, you are cooking dinner. North, do research on Fearlings and about Pitch in any of the archives. Bunny, you let us know if anything is wrong around the globe through rabbit holes. Yetis, please clean up the mess." Tooth barked out her command. "What are you all doing? Chop chop!"

She went up to wide-eyed Pitch. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She took him by the hand, pulled him up and dragged him out of the door. Before she left the door, she gave them all a hard stare.

"Better listen to the Queen." Jack smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"People often believed they were safer in the light, thinking monsters only came out at night. But safety – like light – is a façade."

― C.J. Roberts

"Aren't you scared of me?" Pitch asked Tooth outside the hallway.

Tooth looked at him strangely. "I'm more angry at you than being scared of you."

"Why?"

Tooth puffed up her chest. "Are you serious? You couldn't wait 2 hours in the room and you beat yourself to pulp."

"But I kidnapped your tooth fairies in the past."

"Yes, I remember. After all, I am the Guardian of memories." She looked at him square in the eyes. "And I punched you and got a tooth if my memory serves me." She smiled brightly. "I say we are even steven."

Pitch saw that he was back in the Globe room. Tooth flew high up the shelves and grabbed an emergency first aid kit.

"I did worst to you before if you remember." Pitch said menacingly.

"I haven't forgotten." Tooth said coldly. "But at the state you are in, you won't be doing anyone harm."

Pitch cackled harshly. "My very blood creates monsters."

"More reasons why we shouldn't spill it." Tooth replied back wisely. She cleaned up the wound and fasten the dressing quickly. She checked on the other dressing around the neck and found out that Pitch's skin was cracking. She squeaked in alarm.

"I'm afraid it's my second symptom of dying." Pitch said casually. He has accepted that his body was breaking.

"So no more throwing up black liquid but cracking body?" Tooth raised an eyebrow. "Goody."

"I estimate I have two days or so." Tooth didn't say anything. Pitch decided to change the subject.

"So, my tooth really didn't have any memories?" He asked.

"Nope, nada. It had nothing sadly. My first encountering an empty tooth." Tooth shuddered. "It's uncanny."

Pitch sat silently. It made sense. He didn't ever remember having a memory before he was "born." His memories always involved screaming children, plotting and endless battles. He felt hollow.

"There, all done. Let's ask North if he has any healing salve. It might prevent...further breakage." Tooth suggested. Pitch nodded numbly. Tooth also reminded him of someone. He couldn't recall who.

"Well, let's have dinner. I'm starving." Tooth said happily.

Jamie never imagined he would be in North's workshop, eating food made by Sandy. He couldn't believe further that Pitch was sitting across from him, attempting to use a fork on a small pea. He gave up and used spoon instead.

It was mashed potatoes, green peas and grilled chicken. Jamie thought he was initially not hungry but with just a bite of the chicken, he couldn't stop eating. The mashed potato melted in his mouth, the sweetness of peas rolled off his tongue and the chicken warmed him up. Beside him was a nice cup of warm milk, freshly squeezed from a cow. He didn't know they had cows up in the North Pole.

He suddenly wanted to fall asleep and never wake back up. Everything must be a bad dream. But seeing how Bunny frowned at Pitch at the dinner table with tense silence hanging over the air, Jamie realized he shouldn't fall asleep.

Sandy happily asked if anyone wanted a second serving. Seeing no one raising their hand, he added another heap of mashed potato on his own plate.

"Pitch, can you track down where Sophie and my mom is at?" Jamie asked out of the blue. He had to know. Pitch coughed and almost choked on the mashed potato. Forcefully, he swallowed it.

"I can try."

Jamie didn't say anything for a long time. Then, he spoke: "I need you to do better then try."

"I would love to do more than "try" but I can't get around with a broken body." Pitch said. He undid his dressing on his neck. Creeping cracks already tracked across the back of his neck and around his collarbone. Jamie frowned. It looked painful as the grey skin flaked off like paper, leaving deepening cracks.

"I was going to ask North about salve for that." Tooth quipped.

Pitch sighed. "Jamie, I shall try my best. But don't expect-" Jack hit his side before Pitch could say anything more. Breathless, Pitch remained silent and glared at Jack. Jack pointed at Jamie and Pitch saw that his eyes' were filled with tears.

"Please, please, I'm begging you. You have to find them."

North rubbed Jamie's shoulder warmly. Bunny rattled his foot with worry. Tooth's eyes also filled with slight tear. Jack looked down at his food awkwardly while Sandy just looked sad.

Pitch pinched his nose. This is why he hated kids.

"I will find your sister and your mom so could you please stop crying?"

"Really?" Jamie sniffled.

Pitch groaned inwardly. Another thing to add on the growing pile of his to do list. "Yes."

Jamie yawned as relief and fatigue washed over him. Sandy gently took him by the arm and led him down the hall. Soon, Jamie was asleep in bed, dreaming sweetly.

"So anything from the research?" Jack asked North. North stood up from the table as if he waited a long time for someone to ask him this question. He pulled out a long list of paper from his back pocket. The list rolled off the floor and continued down the dining floor until it reached the door.

"Yes, I do have something!" North said excitedly. "Fearlings are creatures that are the embodiment of pure fear and terror. They seemed to be quite ancient as their first encounter recorded goes back to decades."

"But the strange thing is that they have no relations with Pitch whatsoever. Not a single word mention them existing-" North paused and stared at Pitch. "Within his blood. In fact they are more closer to entity that freely bring terror and chaos. There are several mentions of battles against the Fearlings. They seem to possess some forms of intelligence and can change their shape into their form desire."

"So, they are shapeshifters." Jack stated.

North nodded. "We got lucky. The first one we saw didn't even try to change its shape. Or perhaps it couldn't." He continued once more.

"Anyhow, even stranger thing was that some of the readings I encounter had scrambling of text on the topic of Fearlings. They were impossible to read." Behind North, Yeti holding piles of book settle them down at the corner of the table. North opened one and showed to the Guardians and Pitch. Just as he described, several texts were scrambled and were impossible to make out what it was saying originally.

"It's almost as if someone didn't want people to find out about Fearlings." Pitch mumbled.

North face lit up as if he hit the jackpot. "Yes, that's exactly right."

Sandy made a swirl of magnifying glass and a smoking pipe. A mystery was a foot.

"Woo, I love a good mystery." Tooth giggled in delight.

"Just great. More mystery, more problem to solve" Bunny grunted. "Let's all wear Sherlock Holmes's hat and put our thinking caps on, is that it?"

"Well you're British, aren't you?" Jack teased.

"I'm Australian. Get your accent right." Bunny glared.

North held his hand up for silence. "What I could make out was that Fearlings have evolved to become a terrorizing creature named Dream Pirates. Pirates who steals dream and kidnap children. But the last account recorded of them are ages ago. They don't seem to exist today."

Bunny stood up quickly. "Well I got bad news for you because they definitely exist."

"What do you mean?" Tooth asked.

"When I went through the bunny holes to gather what was going on outside, I heard people talking about missing kids." Bunny sighed and shadows covered his eyes.

"We got missing kids on our hand. And it's not only in Burgess, it's all around the world."


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi everyone. Thanks for your comments! I didn't know people would enjoy reading this story and tbh, I just wrote it for the heck of it to explore evil characters and practice writing (also I had an idea after knowing the original work with lots of what-ifs). But since now I got more ppl reading, be sure to be on the lookout. I'm going to finish this story because it needs to end and I already have the perfect plot idea to make it work with the original works. **

**Also, if you know some of the back stories of Guardians, it should make sense to you. If not, do check it out afterward. I would fill it in, but very briefly as I continue the story.**

**And here we goooo~ (rick and morty reference if u didn't get that)**

**Chapter 15**

"Time takes it all whether you want it to or not, time takes it all. Time bares it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again." **  
****― ****Stephen King**

Bunny slammed the table. "This can't all be coincidences." He pointed at Pitch. "This is all your fault. All your doing."

Pitch didn't move under Bunny's glare. If a glare could kill, he would be dead by now.

He realized his food became cold. He has taken a bite out of mashed potatoes and peas. But they tasted like ashes in his mouth. When others were eating hungrily, he moved his plate to make it seemed like he was eating. He was hungry, but not for food. He was always starving for fear.

Incessantly in the background, he knew they were arguing about him. But he felt no desire to join and defend himself. It didn't matter how he appeared to each Guardians. He felt a tinge of jealousy to anyone who conducted such an elaborate plan. He would like to know how it ended.

He got up and walked out amongst the shouting, the swirl of sand and rowdy voices. He felt someone grab his shoulder but it was too late. He won't make the mistake of being captured a second time. He was already a shadow and whoever grabbed his shoulder only grabbed empty air.

He arrived in the Globe room. He felt that he had to see the lights that were lighting up on the globe, just one last time. He didn't know why. Perhaps for reassurance or to know someone has finally defeated the Guardians.

But he wasn't alone in the hall.

A tall confident old man stared up at the glittering lights. The man had flowing white hair and white beard but he appeared timelessly young. He had the similar twinkle in his eyes much like North's that stared at the world with curiosity and ancient wisdom that knew the past, present and perhaps the future. The man wore a heavy blue cloak that was a size too big but did not drag onto the ground. It shimmered and floated as if the exact space around it bent and twisted. In the man's right hand was a tall branch of a tree that served as a staff, a walking stick and sometimes, for scratching his back. Around the man's neck was a golden pocket watch that showed multiple hands of minutes and seconds full of different parts of clockwork.

Pitch stopped where he was. This old man was deceptively cunning to appear weak. But Pitch knew the elderly was no ordinary being. He felt goosebumps rising on his arms and a chill travelling down his spine. He felt tempted to flee into the shadow once more, but the old man caught his stare and beckoned him over. Pitch froze and stared at the beckoning gesture.

Caught between his instinctive urge to flee like a rabbit in the wood being stared down by a wolf and the urge to survive maybe for just a minute longer, he begrudgingly walked over to the old man's side. Pitch told himself that he came to observe glowing lights nonchalantly and not because of the old man's patronizing command.

The old man spoke up first, breaking the silence. "I never thought you as a team player. What a surprise for me to find you of all the people here during the time of crisis. If I haven't stopped by, I would have thought this was your plan."

Pitch glanced at the old man and back at the pinpricking lights. "I guess you have heard of me. Ha! So I am famous." Pitch smirked.

"Infamous, you mean." The old man retorted back. Pitch's smirk twitched. He imagined strangling the old man in his hand because he had heard enough insult for the day. But, he just clutched his hands into fists.

"Who are you, old man?" Pitch demanded. The old man, for a brief moment, flashed a look of surprise on his face. But just as quick as it came, it dissolved into a kind smile. "Ah, I see. You can call me Father Time."

Father Time. The master of time. One of the Great Beings of spirits and essence. Pitch felt glued to his spot as his bone rattled. That explained why he was having goosebumps and chills.

"Why are you here?" Pitch asked alertly. He stepped back, away from the globe while Father Time continued to stare. The fire in the Globe room dimmed as shadows stretched.

"I saw how dire the situation was here. All the lights going out." Father Time said with his voice soaked in sadness. "Being all-powerful, but unable to remedy the situation. I am a witness, a judge, a prosecutor and a defender of time. But only to time."

Having a control to time is already enough power you old fart, Pitch thought. With the slightest flick of a finger, he slowly gathered black sands in his hands for an attack.

Unaware, Father Time raised his wrinkled hand to stroke the globe and for a moment, lights shone brighter as if they were dipped in everglow.

"Perhaps I gave up my right to interfere a long time ago." Father Time mumbled. He turned around to look at Pitch with hope.

"But I can make an exception. At this rate, this world would become intangible beyond repair. Chaos and deaths everywhere. The end of time." Father Time sheepishly said. "I can bend a rule, a small one or two. After all, it must have been fate to meet you here. You of all people, to walk into this room at this exact time. Imagine that!" He chuckled.

"What the hell are you-"

"Nah-ah," Father Time interrupted. "I am running out of time so to speak, so I have to make this quick." He gestured to the globe and the slow movement of circular disc halted to stop. "I will give you and the Guardians more time to find the missing children. Time on Earth will be frozen, abide- not forever. No matter what, time will slowly creep forward. But, it should give you all a week to find the missing lights and prevent any more casualties. No beings, after all, can operate inside except for those permitted to do so by me."

Out of the corner of Father Time's eyes, he saw the snaking dark sands. In lightning speed, he appeared in front of Pitch. Gently, time halted: razor-sharp shadow sands stopped moving. Father Time took no offence. He grinned in amusement. Then, Father Time touched Pitch's throat. Magically, a golden watch necklace appeared and melted between the cracks of his skin.

"This is all I can do, for now." Then he looked up as if he was watching a memory play on by like a movie. He began to chuckle."Did you make a promise? To a child?" Father Time said in astonishment as Pitch looked away in embarrassment. Then he broke out in a burst of loud hooting laughter. "Haha! You sure have changed Pitch Black!" He wiped the tears off of his eyes.

"Perhaps, _you _can save this world after all." Father Time said. "We tried so many times, in so many different ways…" he paused as he looked away into the distance.

"It wasn't your fault."

Bewildered, frozen Pitch met Father Time's eyes. They were deep blue like a vast ocean, filled with sympathy.

"I'm sorry." Father Time said clearly and cupped his hand around Pitch's cheekbone. Before Pitch could ask what he meant, what he was sorry for, why did act as if they weren't strangers meeting for the first time, he was alone in the room with the black sand spread out on the floor.


	16. Chapter 16

**Note: even with the school starting, this story will march on! Feel free to comment I guess and let me know if my writing style is actually improving would be great. I check for grammar mistakes but sometimes it slips by me (being human and all).**

**Onto the story!**

**Chapter 15**

"Just remember, a dark shadow need light to exist but light doesn't need darkness to be luminous."

― Gwen Hayes

Pitch patted his throat cautiously. It no longer sent a jarring sensation of burning nerves when he touched his throat. He didn't feel the need to clear his throat of black goop. In fact, he felt perfectly normal without the constant hunger pangs for fear.

Whatever that golden watch necklace did to his body, it did the trick of healing his broken state when he himself believed he couldn't recover from.

He thought back on the conversation with Father Time. He would like chaos and death. More fear for him to feast on. It would roll down his throat like a warm vapour and sink in his stomach like a feather.

But then again, who would produce fear when everyone died?

Nobody, that's who.

He realized that whatever was going on, it involved him as well as all other spirits that depended on humankind.

His hands trembled. He didn't know why they were trembling. Out of joy perhaps? Or because of the strange feeling of hatred and regret that came with the lingering scent of the elderly man? It was a mixture of sweet pine and a musty old book store that he smelled before around North's workshop. He gripped his hands together and willed it to stop shaking. Soon, the shaking receded.

A sudden crash at the hall abruptly interrupted his confusing emotions.

"Pitch! You aren't going anywhere! Where are you hiding?" Bunny said as Tooth clung to his shoulder to stop him throwing the boomerang. Happily, Sandy trailed behind him in excitement for action and North stumbled behind them with stacks of papers and books. Jack floated above his hand and yawned. This was getting way too typical.

"We have to go get going," Pitch said as he ignored Bunny's ranting. He felt that other Guardians were used to Bunnymund ranting off as everyone else nonchalantly ignored his grumbling.

"Go where?" Jack asked. Pitch looked at the frozen globe where time stopped for everyone except themselves. On the globe, there was a blue post-it note with elegant cursive writing in black colour. It stated the following, "to where the tallest peak forever stands, you will meet your guiding star on deck at hand".

Pitch raised his eyebrow to the riddle. A fairly easy one if he might add.

"To Mt. Everest."

* * *

Sophie rubbed her eyes and stretched her hands to the sky. Or at least, she tried to stretch her hands. But, she quickly found that her hands were bound by a rope. Her half-awake daze flitted away as she realized the last memory she had was calling out for her Mom as a monster chased her throughout the house. She looked around and realized she was not alone in her cold metal cell. There were some kids sniffling, couple others still asleep and one looking around in a daze while mumbling.

For a moment, she felt tears welling up from her eyes because she realized wherever she was, it was very wrong. Where was her mom and Jack? Who were all these kids? She felt the ground lurch back and forth. Was she imagining that the cell was tilting back and forth?

However, her fear was blown away with awe when her eyes locked beyond the metal cage. She stared into the very core of galaxy as starlights shone all around her. There were round purple and orange planets that obscured her view as far away stars glittered as if to comfort her in the bleakest black of space. A trail that looked to be Milky Way sparkled purple hues and it was beautiful as she watched blue stardust flutter across the atmosphere like pixie dust. She stuck her hand outside as she tried to catch the glitters and realized the cell was screwed onto a wooden board on the ground. As her eyes began to adjust, she realized they were on an old ship deck like in a Peter Pan story with magnificent sails that reached high up into space and a faint smell of gun powder, sweat and sanded wood. It creaked while it was slowing moving across space and time.

Suddenly, she felt giggles tickling her throat and her eyes widen in wonder. Wherever she was, she was in for adventure just like before. She stared at the passing stars and drifted back to sleep. She dreamed that Jack was calling for her name while watching the stars together in the warm comfort of her mom's arm hugging her across her chest.

* * *

"You better be right about this." Bunny huffed and complained as they climbed Mt. Everest. Pitch sauntered up slowly on his black horse neighed every now and then to display great offence being in the presence of Guardians.

"I never said I was right. I just said we have to go here." Pitch sneered. He stroked the black horse's mane delicately as the climb became steeper and steeper. This hike was not meant for the faint-hearted. This was made clear with slamming forces of relentless wind, a sweeping wisp of the snow and the vertical view of other peaks when the weather cleared briefly. It was otherworldly.

"But why are we here for exactly?" Tooth asked while she advanced forward as Jack cleared the path. Mt. Everest was not a great flight condition for Tooth and she did not have the time to battle the weather. Yet, it was a perfect condition for the winter spirit. Jack felt energized and happy as he could be. Just for fun, he carved patterns on top of a pure white blanket of snow. Jamie oohed at the pattern as he perched inside of North's red knapsack wearing thick blue jackets, blue hats and white gloves. North carried him like a backpack and kept him warm with heated coals covered in thick metallic wools.

Pitch rolled his eyes. "I told you that Father Time stopped Earth's flow of time. He left the note on the globe afterward. I don't know why and I don't know what for." Honestly, he thought, I could care less if this leads to a dead end.

Jack continued to shovel the snow to pave the way for the Guardians as he floated in the air. "But it must be a way to rescue the missing children! I mean, why else Father Time shows up and tell you? Isn't he a big shot or something?"

Sandy nodded wholeheartedly. Then he made a clock out of the sand and then Pitch himself that looked mangled. Then, he smashed it together to show Pitch made out as a perfect whole. Pitch stared at Sandy and nodded in agreement while others looked befuddled.

"He meant that there must be a reason why Father Time showed up and a reason why he healed me," Pitch said and rolled his eyes. "How on Earth did I let you buffoons defeat me?"

"The good old fashion way. With wonder, hope, memory, dream and fun!" North chuckled.

"Ugh, of course."

"Hey, don't feel so down you got beaten by us," Jack said. "I mean, there is only one of you and five of us."

"But, well, Pitch has a whole army of black sand creatures at his disposal." Tooth claimed.

"If you are trying to make me feel better, it is not working," Pitch growled and felt his chest rise in anger. Why do they always have to remind him that he was alone? Voices in his head were bad enough, he did not need to hear it from Guardians themselves.

North tried to change the subject. "Anyway, it was unfortunate that the dimension portal made us land not at the peak of Mt. Everest but in a cave," North said. Sandy nodded as he took a glance at Jamie peeking out from North's red knapsack. Despite the warm coals, Jamie still felt as if his face would fall off if he leaned outside of the knapsack to feel the -36-celsius frigid air.

"You doing alright Jamie?" Jack asked.

"I'm good for now." Jamie's teeth chattered.

"We are almost there. Look!" North pointed. Their eyes followed a single trail of metal rods with a tightknit rope that stacked up to the peak. The peak was covered in ivory snow and it appeared to be touching the fabric of the sky. From there, many other flags in colours of red, orange and yellow danced in the wind. The snaps of the flag in the rapid wind echoed between mountain peaks.

They made their way up slowly and realized there was a space just enough for all of them to huddle and stand only if Pitch turned the black horse back to black sand. Reluctantly, Pitch stood and with a flick of his hand, the black horse bowed and collapsed. Gradually, everyone arrived at the mount of the tallest peak in the world. PItch squirmed in discomfort while Bunny yelled that no one should make a big movement unless they all wanted to go down the same way by rolling.

But, no one was listening. The view has already caught their sight and capture their awe.

"It's amazing up here!" Jamie shouted as he finally took a step outside of the knapsack. All around him were the jagged snowy mountain peaks that trailed up and down for miles and miles away. The dark landscape was black like coal and the snow was white like chalk. Together, they mixed and matched to bring the mountain landscape to life.

"So, this is what it feels like to be on top of the world." Tooth said in amazement. She had many fair shares in eagle eye views as she travelled the sky but it was never amongst the mountains. She forgot how much she enjoyed flying in the sky to gaze down upon the wondrous nature of Earth.

Pitch felt his heart lift higher and higher until it was soaring amongst the sky, following the horizontal blue line that merged seamlessly with white peaks. "It's beautiful."

"Finally, something we both agree on mate."

Pitch sighed and didn't bother to correct that they both agree on another thing. Him being a monster. But, why bother reminding that to everyone and have a target on his back? He kept quiet and just stared beyond the white clouds.

"Hello!" Jack shouted. A moment later, hello echoed back to him. Jamie giggled and also followed with another hello.

"Ok, this is amazing and it's all great, but are we supposed to find something?" Bunny frowned. He tapped the ground with his foot, making cloud dust of frozen particles.

Just when he said it, there was a rumble up in the sky. They all looked up to see the sky shimmer and magically split open to reveal a massive silver ship that floated just above their head.

"Hello to you good sirs and madam!" A voice shouted from the ship. Behind the glare of the sun stood a brown mouse with a tiny red hat and a blue vest over a white tailcoat. The tiny mice took off his red hat and bowed his head. With a gentlemanly smile, he greeted them with blazing confidence. "I heard your call and here I am at your service. Welcome aboard to Mary Silverwick."


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note: Hello everyone. Thanks for the comments! Glad to know some people are still reading the story even when the school started and when life has become hectic. I will continue posting the chapters until the very end (I have already all the plots planned out so it will end with satisfaction. You are all just here for the ride). Onward we go! **

**Chapter 17**

"No one but Night, with tears on her dark face, watches beside me in this windy place."  
― **Edna St. Vincent Millay**

"Well, don't just stand there gaping. Come on up!" The brown mouse continued to shout over the wind. "There are plenty of space up here!" His head disappeared but from thin air, a rope ladder magically materialized.

Soon, they were all on board on Mary Sliverwick. The sliver ship was outstanding and in tiptop shape. Three vast masts with grandiose white sails stood over their head standing sturdy and tall. The ship smelled of pine woods, honey wax and vanilla shaving cream. The ship had ropes as many to create a jungle gym, all strapped meticulously in entangled order. The ship's nest was amongst the clouds, fading in and out. Jack squinted his eyes and he could scarcely make out a red flag with poorly painted M & P in cursive. Occasionally, the creaking of the wooden board echoed throughout the ship and drifted off into the air along with the wind.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Mick Angelos Gentiles! But you all can call me Mick." Mick wicked mischievously as if they all shared a secret joke. Then out from the hidden nest, a crow swooped down and gently perched onto the wooden scaffold of the ship right behind the group. "And that's Mr. Pick. It's pretty easy to remember us. Mick and Pick! We rhyme."

The crow rolled his eyes. He has sadly heard Mick giving his pitch to the passengers repeatedly. Yet, he sat silently and watched.

"Yes, yes, I have heard that we are the unlikeliest pair. But, that is another story for another day! No matter what, we will provide you with a full service and a full commitment to get you to your destination. Now, where would you like to go?" Mick looked at the group with bright expectation.

Everyone looks at Pitch. Pitch could only shrug. "I only know we are supposed to be at Mount Everest. Nothing more, nothing less."

Mick stared at the group in puzzlement. "So, someone else referred you our service? May I ask who it was?"

"Father Time," Pitch answered. Suddenly, Mick's brown face became pale yellow. He slowly let out a strangled chuckle that turned into a coughing fit. Pick squinted his eyes in dismay.

"Ah, Father Time. Of course, of course." Mick rubbed his paws together nervously. "So, the payment for the fare is…"

"We don't have it," Pitch said with a deadpanned face. "We didn't even know there was a ship on top of this mountain." Other Guardians nodded in agreement. After all, they were simply shouting random hellos. They didn't think it was a signal to summon the sliver ship.

Pick opened his mouth and a shrill croak came out in one breath in offence or in surprise. It was hard to tell. Mick glanced over to Pick and put his finger on his mouth. Then he shifted his finger ever so casually onto his chin.

"Well, I see, I see. If this was any other situation, I would kick you all off the ship and simply be off in a merry way!" He chuckled nervously. "But since you were referred by Father Time, it is by no mean can we refuse!" Pick croaked once more. Mick rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, Father Time has saved us more than we can count. I suppose we can give them a free service and put it on his tap."

"But we don't really know where we are going," Jamie said.

Mick looked at Jamie squarely in the eyes. "Do you ever know where the end of your destination lies in your own life?"

Jamie hesitated. "No, I don't think so."

Mick smiled. "Well then young sir, you are exactly where you need to be right now." He walked up the stair up to the head of the ship where a white steering wheel stood lightly swinging with the ship. Then, under his breath, he muttered. "And if you were recommended by Father Time, I bet the trouble will find you soon." He grabbed the steering wheel dramatically and the steering wheel began to emit a hot yellow glow as if it was a metal warming up in the oven.

"All aboard Mary Sliverwick! May we all reach our destination safe and sound, with peace of our mind." Mick prayed. Slowly, the glow stopped shining and the steering wheel was white once more.

Mick winked again but, only to Tooth. "Just a little blessing for our travel." Tooth blushed.

"We are going to need a lot more than a little blessing." Bunny grimaced.

"Worry not Sir, this ship has been operating for hundreds of years. She is fierce in battle, gentle for casual rides and understanding to our upmost needs! Also, did I mention that she is made out of pure magic?"

"Pure magic?" North raised his eyebrows. "I haven't seen pure magic mechanic since the 17th century! I thought it was extinct!" He said incredulously. Immediately, he began to gaze intensely at the cracks between the wooden board in curiosity.

"Well, I don't really know how she has survived. After all, I have only found her when I was stranded upon a dreadful planet. But I have been taking care of her since then! She saved my life and I owe it to her to take care of her in tip-top shape!" Mick said proudly. "Anyway, feel free to look around and come by the canteen for a snack or to have supper. Your room should already be prepared the way you like it."

Each group looked at each other and then slowly dispersed in a different direction. Pitch went up to the front of the mast, curious about the white steering wheel that seemed to beckon him like a magnet. Jack shoot up to the bird's nest, naturally liking the high ground. Tooth began to chat with Mick who was happy to have a company to tell his strange tales. North headed to the engine room where he gleefully rubbed his hand together in high expectation. Bunny dragged himself into a hallway where it led to the canteen for a shot of carrot juice and Sandy stayed with Jamie where they stayed to watch the clouds float by slowly. Jamie's heart hammered in excitement and also with worries. He hoped his mom and his sister were doing alright, wherever they are.

_000000

Sophie was still trapped in the cage, now sucking her thumb. It was a bad habit she has abandoned years ago when her mom continued to scowl her. However, it always helped her think and she needed to think about what to do in a certain situation involving a group of children, a metal cage, and a flying ship through space and time. She first observed the thin gap between the metal bar of the cage but realized only her small arm could pass through. They were in the back corner of the ship, hidden in the shadow where the starlight just skimpily touched. But, there were no tools or weapons for her to pick up within her arms reach.

She looked toward the children. They were slowly waking up more and more with many alarmed and frightened. Some of them have begun to cry but smartly, she shushed them into quiet submission. Using her words and gestures, she convinced them that crying was not a good option by a simple logic: monsters are attracted to loud sounds. They were all smart enough to realize that being gobbled by a monster was not a good decision.

Then she got a brilliant idea which slowly floated around in her head as she watched one kid rummaging through his pocket to find a piece of chocolate he has long forgotten. She demonstrated rummaging motion of her own pocket which brought up a plastic wrapper, lint and a small metal coil. Immediately, all of other kids began to look through their pockets for any items. Soon, the foraging successfully brought out a pencil clip, hair clipper, a couple of copper wire, fork, elastic band and a couple of rocks. The rest were candies which were given to those who were hungry and remnants of papers after a spin in a washer.

But to Sophie, it was enough.

Now it was time to demonstrate her lock picking skill she has randomly learned from the internet.

_000000

Pitch looked at the steering with an intense stare. He didn't know why but, it was calling out to him. He knew the ship was magic, and hence, must have its own entity. But wasn't the ownership of the ship belonging to the little annoying mouse? He glanced over to the brown mouse that was flirting with Tooth. He didn't seem to realize that the white steering wheel has been sending out a small vibration as if to communicate. Yet, he realized quickly that no one has felt it in their bone except himself. When he laid his hand closer to the steering wheel, but not on top of it, he felt the vibration grow stronger in intensity. Immediately, he pulled his hand away in surprise.

It was responding to him.

A flash of thought went through his head. This was no coincident. It wasn't a coincident that Father Time sent them to Mount Everest. It was all connected somehow to himself. He knew the ship he was on was the very sliver ship that was in his dream. He thought there were some notable differences, but the similarities were uncanny. But no matter how much he racked his brain, he didn't understand how it was connected and why he was directly involved in all that has happened. After all, he never rode on a sliver ship before in the past. He never even heard of a flying magical ship.

The steering wheel continued to pulse and vibrate like a purring cat. It wanted to be stroked, it needed to be touch, and it knew Pitch. Mesmerized by the reaction, Pitch once more stretched his long grey hand and gently clasped the steering wheel.

A bright flash of light filled the blue sky.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Note: Please forgive me for the cliff hanger! I really had to cut the chapter off there because it was getting very late into the night. Here are two extra chapters to make up for anyone still hanging around to read this.**

"But hope is no less realistic than despair. It is still our choice whether to live in light or lie down in darkness."  
**― Rick Yancey, The Isle of Blood**

The briefest flash of light quickly gave away to darkness. Pitch found himself walking in the dark where each step he took caused a ripple down to nowhere. It was as if he was walking on top of black water under the black sky. He didn't bother shouting; he knew he would produce no sound. He continued to walk and slowly, the edges bleed with some ambiance of light and therefore, colours and sound came to life.

He was standing on the same sliver ship, but it was different; the ship was smothering in grey ashes and black smoke. Sounds of screams and cries rebounded against each other like a mismatched dialogue. The planks were dyed in red and the main majestic sail in the center had a large tear that was held together only by a thin thread. It flapped against the flaming wind in despair and fear. In the corner of his eyes, he saw familiar dark creatures that pierced and sliced men's torso as if they were made out of jelly. The dark creature looked like an experiment that has gone wrong; a shiny black coating swirled around the body which continued to morph into different shapes between solid and liquid. Some courageous men pushed the snarling creatures back to corners with gleaming swords and shields. Yet, their successes were short-lived; they were overwhelmed by another group of goblins that decided to attack them from behind. They had a croaked nose and sharp ears with almond dead fish eyes. Gleefully, they cut down the men and their cackles filled the orange sky.

Amidst the chaos and the flames, one man with a gold jacket stood by the white steering wheel. The glow from the wheel flickered like a dying candle, but the man bellowed a word of bravery, a word of loyalty and a word for those who have died. However, the relentless attacks from black creatures never stopped. Suddenly, an inky creature appeared out of the thick smoke and swung its' razor arm toward the man. It struck the man and the man let go of the steering wheel. All was lost; blood dripped on the silver wood and the smoke feasted on the dying ship.

The man rose up from the ashes and behind the clouds of smoke, he gallantly raised his sword up high in the air. Then, a bright blazing light from the sword penetrated the smoke and the disgusting dark creatures screamed as they were decimated by the light. Goblins shivered in fear by the dazzlingly light and one by one, they abandoned their knives and jumped off the ship. The man held up the sword until he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

There was no victory cry-not even a burst of hollow laughter in the air. The ship moaned in pain. Alive men desperately tried to gather themselves, but the flames continued to burn and smoke continued to choke their throat. Dangerously, the ship began to tilt-the gravity that supported the men sputtered like a dying engine and disappeared. Pitch slowly picked up his pace toward the unconscious man with a smothering sword on his side. He reached out and grabbed the man by his coat. He wrenched the coat to turn the body over and he saw-

The image crackled like an old television that was on a wrong frequency. Pale colours of the gold stabbed Pitch's eyes and he screamed. His head was on fire- they were being torn apart piece by piece into tiny fragments. His skull felt like a heavy sponge and his eyes felt as if they were melting, but he forced them to remain open. Pitch stretched out his hand to grab at the image, but it pulled away from him as if it was afraid of his touch.

"Don't go!" Pitch screamed, half in pain and half in yearning for some answer. "I need to know." He muttered in pain. "I need to know who you are."

But the image did not stop. It began to fade when from the corner came another man who gently carried the unconscious body away to the shadow. Then, it completely evaporated and Pitch was left alone in the dark once more.

Then, the light split the dark.

_0000000000

Pitch opened his eyes. They were dry, but he felt as if they were actually wet and heavy as if they have absorbed all the moisture in the air.

He stood with his hand still attached to the white steering wheel like glue. He withdrew his hand immediately as if he was holding a viper. Abruptly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw that the golden watch reappeared around his neck but this time, the second hand has moved away from 12 to 1 with a small crack on the glass. It struck him it was counting down the time he had left. Then the golden watch sank into his chest and dissolved once more. He looked around him: no one else saw the flash of light, the vision that followed, and no one knew he was a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off.

_I'm sorry. _

Pitch slowly covered his eyes with his hand, bent forward, and began to laugh insanely. He twisted and contorted in laughter until it stopped as it came promptly. Everyone abruptly stopped talking on the deck and turned to look at him. He ignored their stare and lurked off to his cabin, down into the dark hall.

Mick stared at Pitch leaving the deck and then turned around to whispered to Pick.

"They always have one of them in the group. Hopefully, he doesn't go bonkers on us."

Pick scrunched his face and with watchful eyes, he cleaned his feathers with his beak.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"There were a billion lights out there on the horizon and I knew that all of them put together weren't enough to light the darkness in the hearts of some men."  
― **Michael Connelly, ****The Scarecrow**

Jack gazed up at the stacks of white clouds that seemed to stretch tall like a tower against the blue sky. Up in the crow's nest, the wind snatched his breath away. But, he felt free for the first time in a long while. He realized he missed this feeling: the elevation of the horizon with nothing else in his view. It reminded him of the night when he would climb up the oak tree and watch the sleeping forest under the moonlight.

Without warning, the wind carried a sound into the crow's nest; harsh laughter that ripped the air with a cacophony of broken cry and sadism. He looked down and saw Pitch walking off into the corridor away from the gaze at the deck. Jack scratched his hair. There was not even a moment of peace with Pitch on board but, just for a brief moment, he has forgotten where and why. He took his staff and waved it in a circle. In a flash, the wind slid him down from the crow's nest in one swoop. He caught Tooth's worrying eyes and then against better judgment, he followed Pitch's footsteps.

It didn't take him long to find Pitch; he was leaning against the wall, half-hidden in shadow and half-seen in the sunlight.

"Hey." Jack started awkwardly. "So, did I miss a funny joke or what?"

Jack was met with silence. Unnerved, he continued talking.

"I was up in the crow's nest and the view up there is-,"

"Shut up." Pitch interrupted and from the shadow, one golden eye glared under the hand that clutched his head. "You're making it worse." His hand clutched his throbbing head tightly. Pitch slumped forward as another wave of nausea hit him like a torrent.

"Are you ok?" Jack whispered. "I thought you got better?"

"I did." Pitch wiped the black blood dripping from his nose with disdain. "But it's temporary."

Jack recalled back to when Pitch was retching black blood. It wasn't a pretty memory.

"Ok, let me talk to Nor-," Jack bit his tongue when he remembered the last encounter with North and Pitch. "I mean, I will talk to Tooth and maybe we can get you rested up in your cabin."

Another stab of headache flashed through Pitch's head. Pitch felt deep loathing and succumbed to flash of images that showed a blue dark cave, a giant green gate, and the sound of thumping and scratching. Pitch shuddered to take a breath and glowered deeply. "They don't need to know. I can last until we find the missing kids and Mother Goose."

Jack opened his mouth to argue, but something caught his eyes. Pitch grasped his arms that continued to shudder as if he was cold despite bathing under the sunlight. Pitch had his eye cast to the ground as if he knew he couldn't stop Jack from leaving. The last time he tried, he failed anyway.

The realization hit Jack out of the blue. Pitch was afraid. He was afraid to be trapped. It finally made sense why he was on edge constantly; it was a risk to Pitch to cooperate with the Guardians. Pitch knew that if Guardians wanted, they could have him trapped for millenniums to come, especially at the state he was in. Another question struck Jack like ice-cold water.

Was Pitch trapped by the Guardians in the past? If so, how long?

Jack has rationalized that it was fine to have Pitch trapped under his lair. After all, the other option was to have him continuously terrorize the kids, sapping away their happiness and joy like poison. But Pitch was also an entity like him. Jack imagined himself being trapped under the ground without clarity on when he could escape. He would be alone with no wind and snow to play, no pranks to pull, and no kids to ruin or please their days.

It would simply be infuriating and it would make anyone unhinged.

Pitch took Jack's silence wrongly. "Or, why don't you go off and tell North that I need to be sealed away? I'm sure you will be on his good list." Pitch mocked with a sickeningly sweet voice. His attitude changed; his shaking stopped and he was looming threateningly.

Jack's pitying thought toward Pitch flew away and it was replaced by annoyance. "Ok, I won't tell anyone about you still being sick. I wasn't going to anyway." With a glance, Jack walked away.

Pitch had a sudden urge to claw out Jack's pitying eyes, but he slowly dragged his heavy body and his broken piece of arrogance further down the corridor.

Pitch arrived in his cabin. A chipped empty yellow cage hanged over the old sliver white drawer. Beside the drawer was a small circular window just above a queen size bed that was warm grey and black. There was no mirror, just as he preferred.

He sank into his bed. He had plenty of questions but the bed felt so soft. He fell asleep to the purr of the ship's engine and saw nothingness.

_00000

Tooth finally was able to get away from Mick and his conversation after sacrificing Bunnymund (who appeared out of the corridor just as Pitch went inside) to be her replacement. Sure, he was a nice mouse, but after smiling and nodding along for an hour was not sitting well for her patience. It made sense why Pike simply ignore Mick's talking. After all, as Mick said, they have been together for a long time.

She had a feeling Bunny would not last long and simply become frustrated with the ordeal. Yet, Sandy, the perfect listener, was nowhere to be seen along with Jamie. She promised herself she would make up to Bunny by helping him out when the next Easter came around.

She followed after Jack and Pitch because she was curious to know. Also, she didn't want to leave Jack alone with Pitch once more. So, with extra precaution, she flew slowly down the narrow corridor.

She just didn't expect to overhear the conversation that echoed in the tight corridor between Jack and Pitch. She remained where she was until she saw Jack turning around to exit. Silently, she flew away, deep in her thought.

-0000000

North walked along the basement corridor filled with radiating pipes, squeaky dials and hissing of steams. He reached the end of the metal corridor and found the heart of the ship; the core engine. The white core engine within the small vial vibrated and chimed as if to greet North.

"Well, look at you beautiful." North whistled. "Aren't you something." He touched the glass with care. The engine cooed in response. North took out his notebook and began to make a sketch and some rough calculations. As he began to sketch away some of the important notes, he noticed a gold nameplate on the top of the cylinder.

_To those who prevail in the Great dark will witness the Great light._

\- _Kozmotis Pitchiner_

The name struck North quite odd, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It sounded foreign and he wondered if this man or woman was the original owner of this ship. North made a note in his book and continued to sketch the engine with ecstatic glee.

_00000000

Jamie was at the back of the ship with Sandy. He tried to enjoy the view from the front, but the constant bickering between Mick and Bunnymund made him decide to go around the back instead to enjoy some peace and to gather some thought. He made a mental note of where they are: currently, they were still ascending through the stratosphere with the mission to rescue Sophie, his mom, and the rest of the missing kids. He noted that despite them climbing up through the atmosphere, he did not feel any lack of air or changed in temperature. North was right; this ship was magical. Jamie has noticed it has formed an invisible shield that repelled any foreign substances. Meanwhile, it also maintained a constant environment that was favourable to the current occupants.

Spearing through the clouds, there was a moment of resistance as the Earth's gravity attempted to ground the rising ship. But with a gentle pull, it slipped away from its grasp and then the ship was floating in Space. Earth was a beautiful swirl of blue, green and white that contrast the black space. The ship emitted light that glowed in the black space and Jamie looked out and saw millions of stars shining. Jamie felt his heart soar and shared a silent smile between Sandy.

-00000000

Sandy watched as the ship drift up to space and met the cold dark space once more. He recalled when he first crash-landed on Earth with no plan and no idea on what his future would be like. Now, he stood beside a young boy that looked on to the darkness and found lights. He felt that he was in the right place and that destiny has placed him where he needed to be all alone. He thought back to the past, the only past that he was allowed to remember amongst the Guardians, and he secretly prayed that everyone would be alright for the future battle to come.


	20. Chapter 20

**Note: sorry for the long wait. Here it is! Hopefully, I can post chapter 21 faster. The pace will pick up again so stay tuned.**

**Chapter 20 **

"A grief without a pang, void, dark and drear,  
A drowsy, stifled, unimpassioned grief,  
Which finds no natural outlet or relief,  
In word, or sigh, or tear."  
― **Samuel Taylor Coleridge**

Mary Sliverwick cruised along with the streaks of starlight with confidence. She knew where she needed to go; a 100 percent certainty after the contact with her previous owner.

She remembered when she first met him when she opened her eyes. His golden eyes looked at her in wonder and she looked back at him with the same keen emotion. She remembered when many boots pounded her deck and opened her sails to let her fly. But, she would only let the man with golden eyes guide her, no one else. Like a duckling, she has imprinted on him. Her first and last owner.

But now, in the present day, she was free to do whatever she wished. She had no captain.

It was a miracle she was found by Mick and Pick just as her heart began to flicker and die. She waited so long, holding on to the hope that one day, her golden eyes would come back to guide her once more. She waited and waited in the dark ravine with sharp cliffs where no sun ever reached the bottom. She felt abandoned, lonely and bitter. She would have cursed the world if she could but, she continued to hope.

Hope did not let her down. When she saw two living beings coming in for shelter amongst the ravine storm, she welcomed them with warm lights and spare blankets. They have been together ever since.

She would sometimes let Mick take her for a nice ride, to a place she has never been, place far beyond extraordinary, strange and often not, dangerous. But that was what she was made to do- to safely travel through any environment. She developed a good taste for an adventure and also an understanding of Mick and Pick's history. Slowly, they have grown on each other and became inseparable.

On the present day, it was shocking to see those golden eyes once more. But the man has become different; wicked, twisted and vain. It couldn't be true, she denied it. It wasn't her Guide. She didn't react as they climbed aboard and listened to Mick's "talk," just as she has with other passengers that came and went. But when she called for the Guide, hoping that maybe, he can still hear her unlike the rest, she wasn't disappointed (not this time). She saw him whip his head around like a rabbit.

For a moment, she felt joy for a possible reunion. When the Guide touched her, she showed him past memories about her, the crew, and the violent battle that took place just before he disappeared from her sight. Yet, when he woke up from the trance, his gold eyes remained cold. He narrowed his eyes in distaste and withdrew his hands. Then, he walked away like a bad breakup. But, just for a moment, she felt the warm soul of the guide-the same warmth she felt when he brought light.

However, within the same light, she felt great shadow. A vicious, horrid and cowardly shadow that pulsed with each breath her Guide took. Instantly, she felt the same presence across space and time like a beacon and so she took off in that direction.

After all, it must be where the man with golden eyes belongs now.

-00000000

It took them about 3 days to reach their current destination. Everyone was gathered on the front of the deck as Mary slowed down to a slow drift. According to Mick, they were in

Sea of Stars.

"So, the Milky Way?" Jamie asked.

Mick smirked. "That's what humans call it." Mick stretched out his hand as if he was giving a standing ovation. "But since the time of the Golden Age, we call it Sea of Stars."

The darkness of the space stretched out like an abyss but amidst the darkness, the stars sparkled curiously. They were numerous-each star represented a speck of spray-painted that has been painted on top of black canvas, filled with a magical hue of violet, indigo, and pale-yellow hue. The colours stood drifting in space as if they were frozen in time after an explosion that cascaded across space and time. From as far as they could see, the streams of stars streaked across like a bridge with no way to know where it began and where it ended.

Bunnymund curiously stuck his hand and felt stardusts part ways. Some flew inside the ship and settled on his nose. Bunnymund sneezed out the stardusts and watched it drift back into the endless ocean of starlights.

"I bet these are combustible." Bunnymund rubbed his nose.

"They are beautiful." Tooth whispered in awe. Jamie could not tear his gaze away from the Sea of Stars and his eyes sparkled against streams of light. Deep within Jack, he felt strange joy, but also sorrow. For the first time since the night he stared at the full moon, he felt a deep chasm of melancholy. Sandy smiled gently, remembering a past that no longer existed and North thought about what amazing wonderful toys he could make with the power of the star and of smiles, he could share. Pitch stared at the Sea of Stars and for a moment, he thought he heard a girl singing faintly in the distance.

"twinkle, twinkle, little star-

how I wonder where you are."

The singing got louder, louder and louder until the singing became the focus of his entity. But he could only clutch his teeth. If the Guardians learned he was starting to lose his mind, they would have a long talk on whether he needed a time out. He wanted to cry out, to fell on his knees and to pull his hair by the root. But, he could only clutch his teeth and bite down on his tongue.

Yet, a moment later, he felt a hand on his shoulder and the singing was completely silenced.

"You ok?" Tooth asked. She looked into his eyes as if searching for an answer but will not be inclined to ask. For a moment, Pitch's vision blurred and he thought he saw a woman with brunette hair.

Pitch shrugged her hands away. "I'm fine." He said casually with his tone dipped in a frost. He held her gaze momentarily before he looked away. Tooth opened her mouth again-maybe to ask a question or maybe to counsel him further. But Jamie interrupted to Pitch's delight. "Look! There is another ship!"

North squinted his eyes and folded his hand over his eyes to shield from the bouncing lights from the stars. "I also see a ship!" He waved his arms overhead and bellowed on top of his lungs. "Ahoy!"

"What the hell are you doing!" Bunnymund clutched his precious ears. "You are going to blast my eardrums!"

Sandy demonstrated that sound could not go across the empty space. And especially when they were in magical ship that was had 360-degree shield of protection.

"That's least of our worries." Pitch rolled his eyes. "How about announcing to the enemy that we are here?"

"Enemies?" Mick said puzzlingly. "No one told us about any enemies!"

"Oh, did we fail to mention that we are pursuing strange beings called Dream Pirates and Fearlings because we believe they kidnapped kids and also adults all around the world?" Jack replied sheepishly with a hint of sarcasm. "Sorry!"

Tooth looked at Mick guiltily. "We wanted to tell you, but we were afraid you will refuse to let us on board." She paused. "Also, you talked too much for me to actually explain the situation to you in the beginning. So, maybe not entirely our fault." She smiled awkwardly.

Mick smiled back but it no longer reached his eyes. "This wasn't part of the deal." Picks' black pea eyes narrowed in slits.

"We didn't have a deal, little mouse." Pitch sneered. He grabbed the mouse's collar despite the protests from Guardians and lifted him off the floor with ease. Then, he pointed. "Now, take us closer to that ship, but keep us hidden." He smiled wickedly to show his canine teeth. "Or else."

Mick crossed his arms in the air and raised his eyebrows. "Or else what?"

Slowly, Pitch leaned in and whispered. Then, he let the fear sink into Mick's eyes slowly with genuine joy.

Sandy tugged at Bunnymund's fur. Bunnymund looked down and Sandy gestured: stop them!

Bunnymund signed in annoyance. "Why is it that I have to babysit the troublemakers?" Nonetheless, he stepped into the circle. "Pitch, let him go."

Pitch stared into Mick's eyes and with a huff, dropped him onto the wooden deck floor.

"Oh, I knew it! Of course! A favour from the Father Time himself always leads us to trouble." Mick grumbled while he caught his breath, finally shattering the façade of a meek gentleman. Instead, his eyes began to shift back and forth in cowardly manner. "At least we put up the charm of protection around our ship." Mick patted himself on the back. Pick cawed in agreement. Pick knew Mick's gut feelings were usually right on the mark; they were in for trouble, just as they expected.

"And calling yourselves Guardians! You guys are nothing but hooligans." Mick protested nervously. He glanced at Pitch and then back to the group. "But I can get you close and wait till you safely rescued human children and human adults."

"That's the spirit!" North said innocently and whacked Mick's back with such a force that Mick was thrown off the ground. Jack cringed. "Well, that's going to leave a mark."

"What the heck is wrong with you all? In all my years as captain of this ship, or of anything, I never met a group this troublesome." Mick cried in misery. "Also, don't expect us to wait for you all forever. We will stay here for only one night. Then, we are leaving." Mick avoided Pitch's glare. "That's our final offer!"

Sandy wiggled in and excitedly shook Mick's hand.

00000

In the darkroom, single candlelight on a white running wax remained lit inside an open glass dome.

"Master, everything is ready."

A single black finger roamed over the candle.

"Yes, all the children are accounted for in the cage."

The black finger cradled the heat of the candle.

"Yes, just as you have commanded, we will leave upon the first sight of a star flare."

Then, slowly, ever so gently, the finger snuffed out the light.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

When we are born we bear the seeds of blight;  
Around us life & death are torn apart,  
Yet a great ring of pure and endless light  
Dazzles the darkness in my heart

― **Madeleine L'Engle, A Ring of Endless Light**

"Ok, so what's the plan here guys?" Jack asked around.

"We charge!" North replied confidently.

"Uh, I don't think that's going to work."

"We can try looking for the kids and the adults on the ship. But I'm sure they are guarded closely." Tooth suggested.

"So how should we go past the guards?"

"We can use North's crystal ball!" Jamie exclaimed.

"Good idea kiddo, but you know last time we used it, we ended up in a cave instead of the top of Mt. Everest." Bunnymund combed his furs lazily. "I say we do what we do best; believe in ourselves that everything will somehow work out."

Sandy had a big stop sign on top of his head with a meek expression.

"Well, it worked out last time." Bunnymund resorted back.

Jack looked toward Mick and Pick. Mick crossed his arms. "We take no responsibility for any action regarding this situation! We are doing nothing! Nothing we tell you." Pick snorted in agreement.

Pitch clasped his hand together with half frustration and half exasperation. "You are all useless."

Pitch took a deep breath. "Listen to me, I'm going to only explain this once: Sandy, Tooth and I will use our ability to move around the ship stealthily as possible. With my shadows, we should be able to sneak by and save everyone before they notice anything is amiss."

Pitch turned to Jack, Bunnymund and North. "Sadly, you are all too loud for this stealth operation so you would be staying on the ship and guarding our getaway route."

"What? Who made you the captain?" Bunnymund laughed in disbelief.

"Glad you asked-" Pitch said casually, "because my dear easter bunny, who was the one that broke all your eggs?" Bunny abruptly stopped his laughter and gulped. Pitch danced to Bunny's fear that drifted around ever so thinly.

"Who was the one that stole all your little tooth fairies?" Pitch grinned manically at Toothania. Tooth narrowed her eyes as if she was remembering the distasteful memory.

"Who was the one that sneaked into the magical workshop?" Pitch cooed at North mockingly. North glared at Pitch firm anger but Pitch chose to ignore it. "You may do three impossible things before noon but it's awfully clear; I'm better strategist than you are."

"But who was the one that destroyed Sandy?" A voice mumbled behind him. "It was _you_."

Jack spun around to face Pitch, spurned by icy fury. Suprised, Pitch stepped back.

"We didn't forget what you did to us." Jack stepped forward and the deck frosted over in icy particles. "Don't you feel guilty? Don't you feel horrible for destroying the eggs, stealing the innocent tooth fairies and for trying to ruin something good? You never even apologized for what you did. So why should we listen to you?"

"Because, I'm kindly offering my help to save them!" Pitch forcefully said between his clenched teeth. But even when he spoke, he couldn't believe his words. He tried again. "So that we don't lose-"

Ringing filled his ears like a warning, waxing and waning like a siren. A scene flashed by his eyes; a woman falling from the sky like a dying star amongst the glittering rain of glass.

"-her." Pitch finished his sentence in confusion. "I mean, them."

It wasn't what Jack wanted to hear. "So, no apologies?"

PItch cackled in disbelief that turned to a snarl. "Apologies? For what do I have to apologize for? It was for my own survival!" He turned to the rest of Guardians. "They don't understand what I have been through, to barely survive day by day on scrouge little fear!"

Pitch stared squarely at frightened Jamie. "Do I have to spell it out for you little boy? Oh, why did I try to scare your little friends? It was to fight or to die in the shadow-slowly. I took my chance to fight, for the world to envelop in darkness once more. And I lost. So, look where I am now. Are you happy that you have me trapped here at my weakest like a caged wild animal?"

PItch smiled unpleasantly and loomed over Jamie like a ceiling. "You must be. For it's in your nature to fear the dark, and in my nature to consume your fear."

"Get away from him, Jamie." Jack raised his hand outstretched and a force of cold wind slowly gathered; enough to make the ship creak and the tear to slowly appear on the mast.

Pitch raised his hand innocently. "I'm not doing anything." He looked around as the winter wind began to whip his hair back and forth. "In fact, you should stop."

"Jack," Jamie interrupted in a small whisper. "Just let him go this once. He did promise to help after all. I think it was thanks to him we arrived here." Sandy also nodded in agreement and expressed that it was in the past. For now, they must work together.

Jamie turned back to Pitch. "I'm still not afraid of you." He said hesitantly. "You just appear-"

"I hate to admit it but I'm afraid Pitch makes good enough point." North interrupted grumpily while looking at his watch. He tapped it on the glass couple times. "And we better hurry. We can't be around here for long I believe. My watch is telling me there will be oncoming star clusters in couple of minutes."

North clapped his hand. "So! I should stay behind with my furry mate and recoup just in case something occurs out there. But I'm afraid Jack has to go with the stealth group. He would be best at keeping the kids calm from fear."

Jack beamed with pride while Pitch sighed. "Fine."

"Ready?" Jack said as he looked back at the stealth crew.

Sandy had North's magic sack to safely whisk away the kids and the kidnapped adults. Besides Sandy, Tooth had a rope launcher, Jack had his staff, and Pitch played with black sand like a cranky kid. Each member had earpieces that North has recently invented. His following logic for them was that they seemed to be useful next time Pitch invaded their domains and actually had them ready in his pocket. North also produced new materials to make a couple of extra, just in case. Bunny shook his head in irony and got to work. Bunny sat on the front of the deck, setting up a machine that looked like an old ham radio. Bunny looked up expectantly after putting on the earpiece and doing some testing. Sandy and Tooth gave him a thumbs up while Pitch grumbled 'let's get this over with.'

Everything was good to go.

"I"m ready too," Jamie replied confidently.

"What-Jamie, you can't come with us! We can't risk it." Tooth said anxiously.

Jamie looked at his feet. "But I can't bear to stay here. I have to go and see if my mom and Sophie is safe. If I don't-," Jamie teared up. "Please Jack, let me come with you guys."

"Just let him come," Pitch said annoyingly. "We are running out of time. That ship isn't going to stay here forever."

"Thanks Pitch!" Jamie said brightly.

"Don't thank me. I'm just paying back what you did for me earlier. That's all." Pitch smirked.

"Thanks anyway." Jamie smiled sincerely. Pitch scowled and walked away as Jamie climbed into North's sack.

0000000000000

Jack silently placed his foot gently onto the unfamiliar rotting deck. Tooth tucked the rocket launcher behind her.

"Guys, How is the situation?" Bunny's voice statically broke in their earpieces.

Tooth pressed a button. "Nothing yet. We arrived on the deck but it's empty."

There were couple stacks of wooden boxes in the corner, a large green double door under the second deck and a ground hinged door that clearly led to the basement of the ship. On the second deck, a black steering wheel hanged loosely as if it will come loose and ropes were tethered roughly and in tangles. There was a savage rip along the sail that ran diagonally all the way to crow's nest. On the closer look to the ship, it felt as if it was haunted and hollow with no living residents beside themselves. There was not even a single light and thus, Sandy's bright yellow sand guided in the air like a sailing lamp.

There was no sign of any kids nor any enemies.

"I don't get it. Shouldn't they be patrolling this whole area? Where are the guards?" Jack asked in confusion.

"They must have not expected anyone to come to rescue them. After all, we are in Space." Pitch replied.

Sandy made arrows and they dissipated in different directions.

"Right, let's split up. We can cover more ground quicker." Tooth agreed. "Jack, Sandy and Jamie, you guys take the first and second deck." She glanced at Pitch. "Pitch and I will check the basement."

"Don't open the green double door. I'm sure it's the captain's cabin." Pitch added.

"How do you know that?" Jamie quipped.

Pitch shrugged. "I just do."

"Right, not suspicious at all." Jack squinted his eyes.

"Well, ignore my warning then. Will see what happens when you wake up the, what were they called-ah, the dream pirates."

"Guys! We don't have time for this. Let's get to it. Chop chop." Tooth announced.

Jack snorted but went with Sandy and Jamie toward the front deck. Tooth turned to Pitch and hissed."And you have to turn it down a notch. Come on, let's go"

Tooth hovered over the crate door with a metal hinge. Using her strength, she pulled it open. It was dark inside with no lights.

"Ladies first." Pitch smiled. Tooth sighed as she looked into the darkness and ruffled her wings. Slowly, they began to glow like a soft luminescence lamp.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Receive what cheer you may. The night is long that never finds the day

**-William Shakesphere, Macbeth**

Down the staircase, they went without making a sound. Yet, the ship creaked as if it anticipated their movements as if they were inside a breathing giant made out of wood. The light from Tooth's wing shined against the wooden archway of the long hallway that twisted and stretched in the flickers of lights like a living belly of a snake.

"It looked smaller outside," Pitch grunted. It didn't seem like he had his work cut out for him. Tooth settled down and comfortably tucked her wings behind. Back against her was simple just wooden walls. As the last light from her wing began to dim, she conjured a fairy light that shoots up and down in excitement like a firefly.

"Let's go. We don't have much time." She said grimly.

* * *

Up above the basement, Jack, Sandy and Jamie sneaked around as if they were in a spy movie. Jamie couldn't help grinning as Jack motioned with his hand, having already ice created visor and a makeshift ice gun. Sandy followed suit with his own spy suits and silently laughed. They already scouted the front deck and it was empty as the school after the final bell tolled. Now, they decided to check the back deck, hoping to find any hints or clues about whereabouts of the kidnapped children.

Rounding the corner to the back deck, they heard an unmistakable creak in the hazy grey darkness. They froze like deer herds in the headlight. Sandy raised a single finger on his lip and Jamie covered the sound of his breath with his hand with fear in his eyes. The creaking sound came closer, and then closer. Jack raised his staff high above his head, ready to strike whoever was coming around the corner. All at once, the creaking stopped. A pin dropping silence filled the air until out of the blue, a war cry that ricocheted off of Jack's eardrum.

"AHHHHHHH" the black figures cried out in the dark in unison. They crowded Jack and began to pummel him with tiny hands and feet. Jack laughed in relief.

"Hey, stop, stop! We are here to rescue you!" Jack claimed, trying to calm the crowd of kids. Some halted with shining eyes while others ignored Jack's plea and continued to whack him with all their energy they could muster. It wasn't until Sophie whistled that the children calmed down, some looking around in confusion.

"Sophie! You're safe! Oh, thank goodness!" Jamie cried out. He ran to hug Sophie and Sophie snuggled in his arms in pure joy. Jack's heart melted looking at the reunion and Sandy created hearts. "But, where is mom?" He glanced around.

Sophie shooked her head. "I don't know. I woke up in a metal box!"

"You aren't hurt anywhere?"

"Nope!" Sophie rubbed her eyes tiredly. "But I want to go home now." The other kids began to also yawn in fatigue. Some were on verge of crying, no longer able to hold out they yearning for the comfort of their homes or familiarity. Yet only one was silently staring at them with an intense gaze.

"We will get you all home. We promise." Jack said. "Hey kids, watch this!" He somersaulted in the air in swirls of ice and landed lightly on his toe, creating ice spectacles in the air that soon rained gently on their nose. Children laughed and giggled while others were in awe. One by one, Sandy put them to relaxing sleep using his sand to swirl gold in between their eyes. Soon, all children were sleeping soundlessly, except one. The one with acute gaze simply stared at Sandy's gold sand drift into tiny particles. Then, the kid slowly smiled at Sandy's confusion. His eyes shone with a darkness that could only be found in a void.

* * *

Pitch glanced up to the ceiling. He thought he heard a scream and detected just the tiniest sliver of fear.

"What is it?"

"I thought I heard something. Must have been my imagination."

Tooth's forehead creased. "I really hope nothing happened."

Pitch shook his head. "It's probably nothing. This place doesn't reek of fear," he paused, "yet."

They walked down the narrow hallway. Soon, they approached a single door that was painted blue with a rusted hinge. Tooth exhaled tension and she turned the knob. The door creaked open and what laid in front of their eyes made Tooth widen her eyes in terror while Pitch creased his brows.

"Well, this was a bigger problem than we thought." He mumbled.

In front of them stretched an enormous grand room that had a high wooden ceiling supported by four wooden pillars. For a moment to any spectating eyes, they would see pitch darkness and some shapes. Yet in the dark, as the eyes adjusted, faces loomed and floated without bodies like a head detached from the body. On closer inspection, their bodies were covered with black strings that stretched out like webs. Each body was hanging from the ceiling in a cocoon-like structure that wrapped them with obsessive protection. The black web-like string stretched endlessly, filling the room with suffocating ominous presence. Hundred or more still counting faces were pale yet peacefully in deep sleep.

They were all adults.

Tooth covered her mouth to prevent a gasp from escaping. There were too many of them. Too many adults trapped all in endless sleep. She imagined their loved ones wondering where they have disappeared off to for years to come, always wondering while they relieved their own past memories before time stopped for them.

"What are they trying to do with all these adults I wonder." Pitch pondered out loud. While he pondered with breaching fascination, Tooth reached out to touch the strings with trembling hands as if she was bewitched. In her mind, she had a single goal: to let the adults return to their loved ones, families and friends. They did not belong here to sleep endlessly but to live and make memories.

But, Pitch knew it was a trap. A spider waited for its innocent prey to come and tangle in its web. He knew. He used the same tactic in the past.

"Don't touch them!" Pitch shouted.

But it was too late.

The strings vibrated like a guitar and the vibration travelled upward and spread more vibration along with the wide connections of the spider web. Soon, the entire room was vibrating and the very ground they stood vibrated as if the sleeping giant was woken back to life.

Then out of the darkness, the black strings shoot out as quick as a slingshot.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.**

**-William Shakespeare, Macbeth**

Sandy began to realize something was wrong. He has been sparkling the gold sand above the child's head for far too long yet the kid did not even show any signs of fatigue and sleepiness. Instead, the child's strong calculating gaze turned into a smile that stretched wide cheek to cheek. But, there was nothing innocent about the smile. Sandy blinked. No, it was full of malice. Sandy withdrew his hand quickly and pulled Jack back along with his other hand. Jack stared at the kid as if the kid's head would explode any minute.

"Sandy, why is the kid-?" Sandy shook his head and glared. 'It' was not a child.

The thing with a child-like appearance suddenly darted forward and ran away with a giggle. Quickly, Jack and Sandy followed it until it stopped in front of the green cabin door at the main deck.

It opened his mouth and strange garbled sound came out. It cleared its throat and tried again.

"Greeting." It said. It had a mature baritone voice in contrast to its young child-like appearance. "I have been waiting for you. It was amusing for a while to have uninvited guests onto my ship. I was wondering when you will figure out you have been playing into my hand. It took you all awfully long time."

Jack drew his staff into a fighting stance. "Who are you?"

It cocked its head. "Mmm, I believe in human term, you wish to know my name? I have been wondering that also myself. So, I have given myself the name of Molten." It giggled. "I believe it suits me just right. A perfect name if I must say so-"

Jack propelled sharp icicles toward Molten. Molten did not bother to dodge and instead watch with ease as the icicles pierced through him painlessly. The icicles landed on the ship's deck with a sharp thunk. Jack paled; the creature was the same as the ones back in North's workshop and they did not have the moonlight shards.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to interrupt others when they are speaking?" Molten's eyes narrow. Then, with a snap of his finger, they were surrounded by more black creatures. The dream pirates that lacked any physical shape have crawled out from the very shadow of the ships wherein each dark corner, the awakened eyes blinked lazily. Molten then whistled sharply between his fingers and the basement door slowly opened with a loud creak. Suddenly, sharp skinny spider legs wedged out from the darkness until a giant black spider climbed out from the entrance with black silky strings that were coiled around unconscious Tooth and annoyed Pitch.

"Tooth!" Jack yelled. Jack and Sandy flew toward them but he was quickly stopped by Molten on the path. "Oh no, I wasn't finished talking." Slowly, Molten morphed his child-like appearance into a tall teen with wavy black hair and a pale face with freckles.

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, yet." Molten smiled innocently. "If you entertain me, I wouldn't do anything to her."

Sandy tightened his grip around his whip. Pitch rolled his eyes and spoke up. "Hello? Anyone worried about me?"

"You wouldn't get away with this!"

Molten sighed with boredom. "I have captured your friends, the kids you desperately protect and the adults. I already have gotten away with it. There is nothing you can do."

Pitch hated being ignored. He slipped out of his restraint like an impressive magician as quickly as a snake. Then, he bowed toward silent Molten.

Molten looked on with slight amusement. Then, he creased his brows in concentration. "Wait, you look familiar." A lightbulb went off. "The Nightmare King!"

Pitch looked on silently. He had a bad feeling where this would go.

Molten chuckled. "Ha, make sense you wouldn't remember me. After all, I was just a voice in your head. Man, that feels like ages ago! And look where I am now." He gestured to his Dream Pirates. "I made my own crew. Like em?" Molten came up to Pitch and put his arm around his shoulder casually. "I'm sorry they couldn't give you a warm welcome. My pet spider can't differentiate between food and guest. Hope there is no bad feeling between us."

Pitch just grunted in reply.

Molten spread out his arms in joy. "Well, why don't you join us? It's your rightful place being with the dark side." He frowned at Jack, Sandy and Tooth. "Not with this ragtag of a bunch. They look like they are only good to keep me amused for maybe only a couple of centuries. I bet they are boring as hell."

"Well, you do make such a sweet offer." Pitch finally let out a genuine smile. Then he glared at Jack. "I have been thinking I should have abandoned this group a long time ago. From the very start, nothing ever worked out as I have planned."

Sandy shooked his head in disbelief and lost all fighting spirit. How could Pitch abandon them at such a critical point? Sandy couldn't understand.

Molten laughed until a black tear sprang from his white unseeing eyes. "That's more like it. Anything for survival. You never change. Still selfish to the core." At this remark, Pitch slightly grimaced.

Jack whispered. "Bunnymund was right. We should have never trusted you."

Pitch didn't look at Jack. "I never asked to be trusted."

Molten took the new friend by the shoulder and led him to the green doorway. "Well, let's take our time to chat in my private lounge old friend." He glanced at the rest of the group. "Take them to the dungeon. I will deal with them later."

Dream Pirates did not have faces. But Jack swore that each of them grinned like a Cheshire cat, ear to ear. They pounced one after another and soon, Jack and Sandy were buried in darkness.

* * *

In the dark damp cell of the ship, they sat unceremoniously amongst the flickering torchlight. Their plans have failed and with some heavy toll to their confidence, Tooth was holding back her tears, Jack was pacing endlessly, and Sandy anxiously created multiple sand figures to occupy his passing thoughts.

"It was my fault. If I didn't touch the black string Pitch told me." Tooth said sadly.

"It wasn't your fault Tooth. We were playing into their hand the entire time. They knew we were coming!" Jack exclaimed.

Sandy gestured to Pitch's figure. Then he formed a string like a connection to the new creature named Molten.

"Yes, Sandy. I think they are sharing the connection. Whatever Pitch does, Molten knows about it." Jack crushed ice in his palm in anger. "We know about it now, but what can we do about it now? We have no way to relay back to North and Bunnymund. Mick must be convinced something went wrong because we are taking too long. And most importantly, we are trapped in this stupid cell!"

Jack's voice echoed off the wall. The torchlight flickered and the shadow danced. However, within the shadow, a single chuckle echoed back.

"Do you really have such a little faith in me?" The shadow teased. "You don't actually think I have abandoned you all and taken the easy way out?"

Jack bolted up straight. He looked around once more but there was nothing beyond the light. But he knew the voice. He would know it even in his sleep. Jack sneered. "You left us to rot, you traitor!"

"No, no my dear frosty friend, what I did was to strategically lie."

"What?"

"Come on, we don't have time," Pitch stepped out into the torchlight. He glanced at Sandy. "If you are right, then it will be minutes before he finds out that I have double-crossed him."

Then, Pitch's black eyes twinkled mischievously against the shining orange flame. "I have a plan."


	24. Chapter 24

**Note: Hey guys, hope you all doing alright with covid-19. I finally have some time to write now (ironically while the world is in peril) so hopefully, I can make some progress and submit bulk chapters. Stay safe/ Ca va bien aller. **

**Also certain changes to the story: North's two pair of swords are now sabre.**

Chapter 24

And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence

-William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Meanwhile, back on the ship, Bunnymund frantically marched back and forth while North continued to examine strange ruins written on the deck edge of the ship with his monocles. Bunnymund pulled his ears in exasperation. "Something's wrong! They are taking too long! They aren't even responding to our communication anymore!"

North grunted in reply.

Bunnymund groaned. "Aren't you worried? Look at Mick and Pick! They getting impatient! I swear I saw Mick approach the wheel before I stopped him with a glare! We have to do something!"

North finally glanced up at Bunnymund in amusement. "Dear friend, was there a time where Tooth has given up?

"No." Bunnymund looked confused. "Heck, she's stubborn as a bull."

"Or does Sandy seemed to be the type to abandon his friend?"

"No! Of course not."

"What about Jack who has during our darkest time, failed to ever surprise you with his neverending twists?"

"Ugh. Come on North. What are you trying to say?

"I'm saying, you should believe in them, just as the kids believe in us. Just believe." North said simply. Then he went back to studying the ancient magical rune as Bunnymund began to fume in the corner with his arms crossed. North thought the magical rune was strange. He could have sworn he saw them somewhere, a long time ago, during his young childhood. But his memories blurred no matter how many times he tried to bring it back into the surface. There was a person ever so important to him-someone who showed him the wonders of the invention and learning novelle things. Someone who was a father to him.

But he could not remember. Any time he tried to recall such a man, all he had was headaches.

Strange enough, he had not realized there were gaps amongst his own past until Pitch came unconsciously into his workshop. There were too many mysteries surrounding Pitch, the request of the Father Time and the direction the old friend has pointed for them. The Mother Goose or Katherine was like a sister to him. It has been a while since he last talked to her face to face. He has become busy with the role of Guardian and also managing his workshop and Christmas all year round. Yet, he thought, she was involved in this somehow. After all, she was the Guardian of stories and that could only mean one thing: she has altered stories to her likings which have involved Pitch and the Guardians.

North has tried to ponder what could cause her to alter stories when Katherine was an anthropologist who truly respects history to record historical events with deadly accuracy. She knew the importance of keeping records of battles in the past and of the future without biases. He could only imagine the reason why she has altered the stories to her liking. It was due to something very grave.

North's eyebrow creased in worry and wondered why the man on the moon led them down to this path. However, his worry was cut short by sudden static that filled the air. Mick and Pick sighed in relief as if they didn't know they were holding their own breath. Happily, Bunnymund sprinted to the radio where the light has turned green and picked up the headphone. Then, his expression quickly turned sour, then to serious concern.

* * *

"What the hell were you doing while we were in the dungeon?" Jack fussed. Sandy looked at Pitch for the answer and Tooth stared at Pitch with slight sadness as she felt hopeless in their next plan- whatever that was.

"I was talking to Molten." Pitch started running up the stairs and to the endless halls and he slowly recollected the conversation.

* * *

Pitch stood as the dark olive door closed behind him. Inside the room, rows of waxed candles lit up the room amongst the shelves filled with macabre of animal bones, jars of unidentified body parts, strange artifacts such as African masks and voodoo doll decorated the room. In the middle sat a large wooden desk and a red teared up an armchair. Behind the armchair, a navy and violet coloured window stretched out like a spiderweb.

"You have quite a large collection," Pitch said dryly.

"Thanks for noticing. They do make such nice decor. It's amazing what humans horde in their little tiny house! I thought it was something they might not miss." Molten chuckled.

Pitch took a note to find out who had a collection of unidentified body parts. He thought it was too much of overkill because it screamed for attention in desperation.

"So, why did you have to go and kidnap the adults? A bit noticeable, don't you think?" Pitch asked as he raised the strange animal skull by the candlelight in odd admiration. "It would have made the disappearance of children a lot easier to handle if you didn't go about kidnapping adults in daylight."

Molten stared at Pitch straight in the eye. Pitch stared back without flinching. Sighing, Molten tilted the armchair backward.

"Ok, I know that wasn't a good idea, but I had to." Molten shrugged dismissively.

"You had to?" Pitch raised his eyebrows and scowled as if he was addressing a reckless teenager.

"Ok! I wanted to. I was just curious about what humans were like! I also needed something to imitate and I thought humans were good subjects to imitate which I might add, it was only possible by absorbing their experience and their knowledge they had." Molten huffed. "So, I had to kidnap them!"

Pitch settled the skull back onto the shelf. "I see. And the children?"

Molten waved his hand disdainfully. "They were just collateral of course. They don't have much in their brain." Molten waved his hand disdainfully. Suddenly, Molten narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "But why would that matter to you? They are humans. You don't care about humans. _Especially_ not children."

"What I care about is being indiscreet," Pitch snarled. "Look what 'indiscretion' led to your doorsteps."

Molten clasped his hands together. "That was all within the plan! Although, you coming along with them wasn't..." he trailed off.

Pitch avoided Molten's searching glance. "It wasn't my plan either to come here with them." Abruptly on cue, Pitch slipped and grabbed onto the shelf as he staggered forward. Lurching, he felt the tickling clock in his chest tick faster. Then, he bent forward and coughed violently. Gagging and heaving, the black liquid dripped down in chunks.

"Ah," Molten sighed in satisfaction in watching someone else in pain. "I thought so."

"What?"

"You are breaking down."

Pitch hacked. "Isn't that obvious?"

Molten walked over to Pitch's side and dropped a white handkerchief on top of the black liquid. The white handkerchief blackened. With his other hand, he grabbed Pitch's chin and tilted Pitch's head gently upward until he gazed Pitch crying black tears. Slowly, he wiped them away innocently.

"I can do it for myself." Pitch grabbed the handkerchief from Molten's hand viciously and then wiped away the rest of the remnants of black liquid. Then, he dropped the dirty handkerchief onto the ground. He watched it fall slowly, innocently, until it was submerged in black.

_Drowning in black, wouldn't that be a lovely way to go?_

_Nightmare King, the black has always suited you._

_Come, come, come_

_Drown in black. _

Pitch clutched his head and hissed.

Molten chuckled as he leaned against the wooden desk. "Are they still bothering you? The elders always were egging you on."

"Nothing I can't handle," Pitch grunted.

"Really? Well, I guess we will see."

Molten pondered for a while."So that's why you are with them. You were hoping they knew how to fix you somehow."

"Yes. But instead, they put me in confinement." Pitch grunted.

"Ha! Of course, they would. That sounds exactly like what they would do. What a boring old bunch." Molten smiled mischievously and then murmured.

"What's that?"

"I said, they don't realize how important you are. You should be revered! Worshiped! Just like the good ole time."

Pitch remained silent. The shadow of the candles shook even though there was no movement of air in the room.

Molten checked his watch that magically formed from his own skin. "Well looked at the time! I better get the supper ready for my pet. And for you, you take any empty room in the basement. You should feel right at home."

Then, with a ruthless smile, Molten stepped out of the room, leaving Pitch behind alone amongst piles of bones and smokes. Pitch also looked around, then left.

The whispered wisp of breath carried an echo that drifted over the smokes over the candlelight out to the spiderweb kaleidoscopic window. With keen animal ears, one could hear the message in secret glee.

"They played it safe after all."

* * *

"That's why it took you so long to get us out? Just to talk with Molten? You wasted our precious time! Mick and Pick must be trying to do everything to leave right now without us." Jack exclaimed in disbelief and frustration as he quickly followed behind Pitch.

"I was collecting valuable information." Pitch hissed. Then, Pitch tsked in disappointment and stared dead into Jack's eyes. "You never been in War, have you?"

Jack frowned. "Of course not."

Pitch's eye shined with the primeval glow. "Information wins the war. And believe me, I lived through all wars"

Jack swallowed his saliva. Tooth tsked at the boys bickering and rushed to his Pitch's side."Ok, so what's the plan?"

Pitch cleared his throat. "I learned that he took adults for their memories and experience. He sucks them dry while keeping them asleep forever. That takes enormous amounts of energy and lethargy must settle afterward. I'm sure the catalyst to do so is through the window in his green room. While he sleeps, we strike a surprise attack. I will strike first and then you all must follow."

Sandy created forms of Dream Pirates and a sword that just went through them harmlessly.

Pitch smiled dangerously. "You got a good point, Sandman. I guess you aren't just made out of the sand after all" Then from his cloak, he brought out a small mason jar with clear water. "Luckily enough, I found a jar that contained moonlight in Molten's strange collection. He must have picked it up from somewhere. He brought his own demise right to himself!" He cackled. "Now, with the weapon at our disposal and with you all out of jail, puzzle pieces have fallen into places."

"Alright. When would he sleep?" Jack asked.

Pitch raised his eyebrows. "Right now. Why do you think I got you all out at this time?"


	25. Chapter 25

**Note: there are many grammar mistakes. I'm probably going to read it over after finishing this whole thing and then clear away the note section too and make things more consistent. But slowly, this story is coming to close. Then maybe I can focus on the other ones. Cheers.**

Chapter 25

Only in the darkness can we see stars.

-Martin Luther King Jr

They rushed down the basement hall until they stopped below the basement door. Above, there were sounds of wood expanding and contracting against the weight that had no form.

"We don't have much time if we want the moment of surprise to work," Pitch said. Pitch glanced upward and he cautiously opened it. "Two Dream Pirates at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. I can take the one on the left. Someone take the right. Follow my lead"

"Wait! This is happening too fast." Tooth said hesitantly as she exchanged glances with Sandy and Jack. Tooth closed her eyes adamantly and then opened her mouth to say what they were all thinking of, but Pitch shushed her with a smirk.

"Don't worry," Pitch said casually. Then he quickly reached into his cloaked and equipped two dual-wielding daggers where he dipped the tips into the jars. Then, he rushed out slippery as a shadow into the open with a malicious smile.

"No, wait! Damn it!" Jack cried after him and quickly saw Pitch slither behind the Dream Pirates like a skilled assassin and slit its throat while clutching its formless mouth closed. It struggled as it let out a groan. Then, with a shudder, it dissipated into the thin air. The other alerted Dream Pirates realizing the demise of its companion, let out a grotesque shriek and launched itself to Pitch. Abruptly, it halted, stumbled forward a couple of steps and fell to the ground without a sound with icicle pierced in its chest. Then, it too dissipated into thin air in forms of black ash.

"I told you to wait!" Jack yelled. Behind Jack, Tooth and Sandy flew out, ready to defend any oncoming attacks.

Pitch rolled his eyes. "And I told you we needed to hurry up." Pitch narrowed his eyes as the ship began to wake up from its deep sleep. It began to creak and groan under the pressure of the shadow. Pitch tsked. "That shriek must have woken some up and some additional Dream Pirates because of you."

Just as Pitch finished his sentence, the ship roared at the escaping prisoners in gathering a storm of black wind. The railings rattled, the ropes stretched tightly and masts flapped wildly in the suffocating air. A tornado of nightmare creatures in combined mass launched up in the air and then came crashing down to the ground at astounding speed. When the dust settled, they were surrounded by swarms of Dream pirates like an endless night without a single light from the star.

"This is why I said it's happening too fast! Now there's too many of them for us to handle alone!" Tooth shouted. She touched the ground and brandished her ruffled feathers like a startled cat, filled with tension and anxiety.

Sandy looked around worryingly in surrounding darkness while they were backed against each other with enemies surrounded. It was the same as before. Yet, Sandy brandished his whip proudly. He will not go down without a fight. Not this time.

"Did you expect me to execute this plan without a backup?" Pitch said with oozing confidence. In a flash, he took out two dual-wield swords and a staff. He smashed the jar on the ground away from himself and toward the advancing Dream Pirates. Quickly, Dream Pirates retreated in hissing fits, reluctant to touch the very liquid that would erase their existence. Pitch knew it would buy them some time, but he needed to act quickly. Carefully, Pitch dipped swords and the staff amongst the puddle and threw the dual wields swords to Tooth and the staff to Jack. Tooth caught swords in the mid-air and brandished them with confidence with her translucent wings stretched wide behind her sturdy back. A comfortable staff settled back in Jack's hand and Jack felt a rush of confidence from his old friend.

A natural smile stretched on Jack's face. "Now, you are talking! It's time to have fun."

"Indeed." Pitch agreed. "But I recommend freezing the liquid before they dissipate into the air or have it hit me."

Sandy gingerly dipped his whip into the puddle happily. Giddy, he swung the whip toward the amassing darkness and it shrank back, showing some semblance of light from stars peeking in until it was once more, absorbed by the darkness. Beside him, Pitch hissed sharply. "Watch it!"

With a gesture of his hand, Jack frosted the liquid on their weapons.

Dream Pirates were reluctant to launch themselves to their demise, yet, one began to cackle and slowly, cruel harsh laughter swelled from the black emptiness. Out of the darkness, Molten sauntered elegantly on top of his pet spider. Witha grand entrance, he watched them with keen eyes from above to down below.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? Oh, what a surprise." Molten said coldly. Molten's gaze snaked across Jack to Pitch. "Your hindrance interrupted my beauty sleep. I gave you a chance to betray me. I didn't think you would fall for it so honestly and this quickly. How typical."

"We both knew how it was going to end. We have our own self-interest after all" Pitch replied with a touch of sarcasm. "Don't tell me you are vexed."

"No, I am simply-" Molten launched himself onto Pitch with sharpened claws with a feral leer, " disappointed."

Pitch blocked Molten's attack with his two daggers, forming a cross. Swiftly, they exchanged instantaneous attacks that were too quick for others, each dodging, counter-attacking and parrying in furries of combat.

Rapidly, the giant spider aimed and fired its silk toward Pitch. However, Tooth dived in and caught the silk with her swords and shredded them into pieces that fell harmlessly onto the ship floor. "Oh no, you are mine." Tooth said as her eyes glinted with fury. Then, she dived into her battle dance where she twisted and twirled, shooting her sharpened feather wide and far, yet with deadening accuracy into spider's four eyes. The spider screeched in pain and wildly begun to slash the air with its legs. Taking the chance, Tooth clashed the exoskeleton of the spider's back with dual wield swords, raised it high up in the air and smashed it down. She felt two swords pierce the hard armour into the soft flesh and she was finally satisfied. The spider cried one final loud piercing sound and fell to the floor exhausted. Later, it did not rise once more.

Dream Pirates tentatively stepped forward and it dawned them that the liquid has been soaked up by the rotten wood of the ship. They howled in mad joy and lept forward, only to be met by Sandy's whip that slashed their skins that slowly ate away the emptiness. They shrieked and struck back with raving rage. Like a circus master to the wild animal that needed to be tamed, Sandy whip flung around in circle leaving behind gold and sliver magic in its wake.

Jack covered for any holes in their defence. Using the soaked wooden floor, he glossed it over with frost and watched some Dream Pirates sleep and tumble to the ground where they shattered their forms into small black shards that did not move. Jack laughed and evaded many outstretching hands, piercing each of them accurately with his whizzing icicles.

Slowly and surely, they were holding their ground.

Molten leaped backward and joined back with the crowd of Dream Pirates. He stared at his spider that has lost its battle without any expression and without a second thought, he gestured Dream Pirates to devour it. They dived in ferocious hunger and before long, there were no remnants of the spider left.

"You made me lose one of my toys," Molten said darkly. His voice was no longer sing-song sickly sweet that had false sincerity. Now, it was dripping with venomous anger. "Enough games." From the darkness emerged pale cocooned child.

"Jamie!" Jack exclaimed.

"A toy for a toy," Molten said simply with a smile that was filled with dark insanity. Before anyone could stop him, Molten chucked unconscious Jamie into the crowd of Dream Pirates to be devoured.

Jack and Tooth flew to stop Molten but Jack was stopped by Sandy's whip that wrapped around his leg while Tooth was stopped by Pitch's shadow that clung to her.

"What are you doing? We need to save Jamie!" Tooth said. She collapsed onto the ground with tears in her eyes and Jack froze in shock. The shredding sound of shirts and tearing of cocoon resounded. "We can-we can still save him!"

Molten laughed at Jack's frozen aguish expression and Tooth's desperation devilishly. He licked his lip in anticipation of what others would also show him. Yet, he was just met with Pitch Black playing with black sand in his hand calmly. Sandy shooked his head and then pointed the Dream Pirates. Dream Pirates began to gag and spat out what appeared to be black sand.

"Like the taste of sand? I wonder if they taste like defeat." Pitch teased with a wicked grin. Molten's face turned into furious red.

"How? When?"

"It wasn't difficult. After all, all minds think alike. You had them separate from the adults and away from the Dream Pirates. After all, children's fear was the best fear to feast on. I knew you would keep them as part of your private collection of food. From there, it wasn't hard to find them just stashed away amongst the kitchen crates, still in the red sack."

Mortified, Molten commanded the Dream Pirates. "What are you doing? Tear them apart, piece by piece!"

Dream Pirates swelled in sizes and approached them in a circle slowly.

Cornered once more and back to back, Jack looked at Pitch. "So anymore surprises?"

Pitch shoved his hands inside his cloak for the final time and produce a transmitter that glowed green in embalmed darkness. The green light reflected off on Pitch's pale skin that was stretched into a prompted grin.

"Yes."

On a cue, the entire ship shook and the darkness swirled around out of control. On the horizon, Mary Sliverwick stood shining amongst the stars and it sailed proudly right into the darkness.

"Ahoy! We have come to the rescue!" North shouted out loud and let out a deep belly chuckle.

"What are you doing! You just crashed our ship into their ship!" Mick yelled. Pick began to fly around above shrieking.

"I couldn't help it!" Bunny yelled back.

"You should have just let me take control of it then!" Mick said. Bunny narrowed his eyes and stabbed his finger in the air. "I don't trust you! A second I let you have a handle on this wheel, I'm sure you will just run away!"

"I wasn't going to run away!" Mick said and suddenly finding collapsed Tooth, he stretched out his hand to her. "My lady! Are you all alright? I have bravely come to rescue you all!" Mick glanced at frantic Pick. "We decided to change our mind and come to the rescue instead. Who knew such villainy existed kidnapping children and adults alike?"

Tooth ignored his hands and stood back up from the ground, ready to fight once more. "I'm more than fine actually. But thank you for the offering." She shot a smile.

With a sudden creation of a hole, and the dark ship shuddered as the air changed to recuperate the damages done. Suddenly, feeling the change of the tide in the battle, Dream Pirates huddled closer to Molten.

Molten looked at them in confusion. "What are you doing? I commanded you to attack them!" Dream Pirates with yellow and read gleaming in their eyes stared on until all at once, they flee into the nothingness of the space they were born from and just like that, they were gone. Molten stood in his place, alone.


	26. Chapter 26

Note: Sorry for the long wait everyone. I had a bit of a burnout. But after reading another light novel story with 500 chapters, I re-inspired myself.

Chapter 26

"Loneliness can make you feel that you have a kingdom in darkness."

-Mrk Ontim

North jumped off Mary Sliverwick and landed on the dark ship with a thud. Then, he raised his sabre at Molten's neck. Molten raised his hand in the air over his head grudgingly. "Alright, alright, you got me. I surrender."

Pitch pushed aside North. "Don't listen to it. We need to kill it."

"No, wait! You need me! You need someone who knows how to steer the ship with all the humans on board. I can steer the ship back to Earth!" Molten cried.

"It will kill any of us again when it has the chance," Pitch said stoically.

Molten fell to his knee and begged. "Please, don't kill me. I want to live." He sobbed.

The guardians exchanged some looks between each other. North scratched his beard. "Well, if we are on this ship to watch his actions, I believe he won't do anything."

"You didn't fight it so you wouldn't know, but I'm telling you it's too dangerous alive." Pitch snarled.

Bunnymund stared at sobbing Molten on the ground meekly. "But, he looks just like a cranky crying teenager."

"Don't let its appearance fool you. It is heartless." Pitch snapped. He turned to Jack, Sandy and Tooth. "You all saw what it can do."

"...He surrendered." Tooth said tentatively. "I can't harm an opponent who isn't willing to fight anymore. No matter how cruel one can be."

Sandy also lowered his whip. Then, gestured to Tooth if she was willing to punch him for what he has done, just as she did for Pitch.

"I would, but I don't think I can make it feel any pain with my physical punch." Tooth smiled sadly with pity in her eyes. Molten was a night creature after all-no matter how human or physical Molten looked.

Jack agreed with Pitch, yet he was also conflicted. Molten was going to-no, he did kill Jamie, Jack thought. If that Jamie was real instead of made from the black sand, he would never forgive Molten or even look at Pitch in the eyes anymore. Molten originated from Pitch and Jack wondered if he could continue to trust Pitch from now on. But, Pitch has demonstrated from the previous fight that he was capable, if not more, to be dependable. Just as they have given a chance for Pitch to demonstrate he could follow through, Jack realized he also needed to show such 'good faith' toward Molten as well.

Thus, with distaste, Jack changed the sharp icicle into a round ball in resignation.

Pitch watched the group come to an inevitable and unchangeable decision and hissed. "I warned you all. I know it better than any of you."

"Well now, I'm just curious. How do you know Molten?" Bunnymund asked suspiciously.

Pitch glanced to the side sheepishly. "It was part of me. Sometimes, they speak." He hesitated. "Inside of my mind."

This statement turned their heads.

"I didn't want to say anything clearly." Pitch huffed.

"Right," Bunnymund said doubtfully. "Not like we don't think you are already insane or anything."

"Just listen to me for once!" Pitch growled.

"I will be good. I promise. Please, just don't kill me. I want to live." Molten said with tears streaking down his face. Pitch glared with all his might then turned away, detesting the very sight of Molten in his line of sight.

Mick and Pick watched the whole encounter with baffling awkwardness. Finally, seeing an opportunity, Mick interrupted. "It was a pleasant time while we were with you. Although I believe I showed my indisposable side, I hope you call us to be at your service! Of course, for a price." Mick's eyes sparkled like the gold coins he imagined. The Guardians all nodded and chuckled while Pitch remained silent as the night.

"Yes, it was an interesting ride for sure. Nice knowing all you strange bunch," Pick said. Everyone except Mick turned to Pick with a look of surprise.

"You can talk?" Tooth asked in shock.

Pick tilted his neck. "Of course! I just squawked and didn't bother to say anything because that's our bit ya know. Mick and Pick, we have our own bits. That's the way we roll." He croaked.

Mick quickly shoved his hand on Pick's beak. "Alright, we overstayed our welcome here. Let us get out of your hair and be on our merry way." Speedily, they embarked, waving their hands in the air with some sorrowful tears in their eyes (no one knew it was whether or not loss of their potential profit or their actual tears of good-byes) until they became a tiny dot, shining just like a star in the midst of the Sea of Stars.

Or, that was the way it was supposed to be. Yet fate played a mysterious role.

"Wait! This ship has no more energy. Before, it was fueled by the nightmares and fears. But without Dream Pirates, that would not work anymore." Molten interrupted Mick's imagination. He dabbed his tears away with his sleeves. "You need to have it pulled by another vehicle such as that ship." He pointed at Mary Sliverwick.

Mick looked up at the stars and sighed. Giddily, Molten stood up quickly and then realizing the sabre has not been removed from his neck, he gently made a suggestion. "It's quite easy. I can help."

With that, Pitch realized Molten's saving grace was set in stone. Frustrated, he sulked away into the underbelly of the ship.

* * *

Pitch stood amongst the hanging adults. They reminded him of his cave, where empty cages hanged from the cave ceiling. They were always damp, rustic and cold. But the cocoon he felt under his hands was warm and breathing. They were filled with life, while his cage would never be. He couldn't remember why he had the cages in the first place. Perhaps when he thought of trapping Tooth's minions, he thought birdcages were a brilliant idea. Now such thought brought him dismay. Using the daggers, he quickly got to work in freeing the sticky threads and cocoons.

"Need a helping hand?" A voice said behind him. Pitch turned around and came face to face with North brandishing an oil lantern above his head.

Pitch ignored him and continued to work, now with yellow and orange flickering in the dark. The threads glinted and shined as if it was made out of thin golden silks.

North came beside him, slashing at the threads with his sabre accurately with speed. "I know you think we made the wrong decision."

"I know it is the wrong one. And we will all suffer for it." Pitch grumbled.

"But, sometimes, we believe we should give someone a chance. A chance that they will do the right thing."

"Like how you all believe you did so with me?" Pitch showed his teeth. "Do you think I need such a pity?"

"I never said that." North defended.

Pitch gazed out into the darkness where he saw the abyss. "You all disgust me. The endless tyrants of your own belief that tore apart my own pain to be scrutinized and be judged to your own regard. You wouldn't ever understand." Pitch said quietly. He turned his back and hacked away more webs in the air.

North eyed Pitch warily. "We would never understand and that is because we never lived your existence." North wiped away the threads on a young woman's sleeping face and he smiled faintly as if to recall some ancient memory. "Even so, there are things we feel and we express and that is called connection. I can't speak for the rest of the group, but I never pitied you."

Pitch stood silently, halting his slashing motion. Then he chuckled. His chuckling got louder and louder. Like a villain in a dramatic play, Pitch raised his arms wide with daggers in each of his hands while he slumped his shoulder. "I'm the bogeyman! The Nightmare king! I chase and live for no other emotion besides fear. What you speak of, old man, it's nothing to me, an ancient will that I'm not bound by. I cannot sympathize with the pain and instead I have to seek to tame it and foster it, in hope that it will bear a fruit called fear."

"That doesn't mean you don't emphasize, no?" North retorted back.

Pitch turned around and smiled sadly. "I should be killing these pathetic humans instead of saving them. Then the children would fear me."

North closed his eyes and sighed. "Who is Kozmotis Pitchiner?"

Pitch's head thundered and his vision shook. The name. He heard of that name before. In the darkest dream, he has heard of an echo of such a name.

"Say that name again," Pitch replied blankly. North looked at Pitch strangely.

"Who is Kozmotis-"

Pitch heard a scream in his head. Then, the scream shattered into a million pieces as if it was ricochetting off a million broken pieces of glass. He clutched his head and his expression twisted. He hit the ground, gasping like a fish out of the ocean. Agony filled every fibre of his being and he heaved onto the floor. North immediately grasped Pitch's slumping shoulder with his one hand while the other slashed at the black remnant that soon dissipated into nothingness. North dropped his swords and grasped Pitch that became limp in his arms with his eyes remained open. North shooked him, slapped him lightly across the cheek, and even hugged him. But, Pitch's eyes didn't see anything except for unending darkness and only heard screams of reverberating broken pieces of glass. A minute passed, and then some. Pitch couldn't tell if it was 5 minutes that felt like an hour. Pitch shuddered in North's arms until the screams faded and he could once more see the dim light from the lantern reflecting heavy concern in North's warm blue eyes.

Pitch didn't reply. He didn't need to when they were interrupted by a slow creak from the door.

Tooth poked her head and with sheepish guilt of interrupting the conversation and what she hoped was a consolidation from last fight they had. Yet, Tooth urgently flew in to ask a single question she and others have been a long time wondering.

"Pitch, where did you hide the kids?"

* * *

Tooth remained in the basement with North, helping to bring down the humans. Tooth flew in a wild but accurate frenzy with an anxious heart as she held each human dangling on the ceiling carefully before cutting the threads and settling them down to the ground. In addition to her quick mobility and flight, the cooperation North had with her showed the time they spent together as comrade in arms were not mere wasted times. Soon, Pitch found himself climbing back onto the deck where he was met with the group waiting for him.

Jack sauntered over to Pitch carefully and assessed his every move. "So where did you hide the red sack?"

Pitch rolled his eyes. "Where I believe is the safest place." Pitch crouched down into his own shadow and from there, the neighing of horses could be heard as the portal opened to reveal the red sack, safe and sound. Jack stared at the unending shadow that was hidden under Pitch with animosity.

"You left them in your own shadow?" Jack fumed.

"Pitch replied chillingly. To be exact, in between the shadow that I travel freely. You would be surprised, it has great amount of space."

"Of course, that's where they were." Molten stared at the red sack with starving anticipation in his eyes as if he just found his hidden Christmas present. Bunnymund eyed Molten suspiciously.

"Don't even think about it mate," Bunnymund said and he pulled on the shackle they put on Molten's wrists.

Molten laughed nervously. "I was just wondering where they have disappeared to. I'm glad to see they are safe and sound!"

Jack quickly undid the rope around the red sack and hand first popped out. Then, the sack uprighted itself and opened up, revealing Jamie standing up cautiously. "Is everything over now?" Jamie asked. He gingerly stepped out from the red sack onto the deck.

"Yup, everything is over." Jack grinned widely. Perhaps first actual grin he had for a while now. It was a pure smile of relief.

Jamie stepped beside the red sack and the red sack began to swell. Then outburst of Children climbed over each other, some with tears in their eyes, some with wonder and some carrying others who fell asleep while waiting. They all swarmed around like hive and looked around with nervousness. In the midst, Sarah forged her way out until she finally hugged Jamie and Jack together.

Sarah looked up at Jamie. "Where's mom?"

Jamie stared back at her. "She's going to join us soon."

Sarah rubbed her eyes. "Ok. I'm sleepy now. Let's go home." Jamie smiled and rubbed her head.

"Alright. Let's go home."


	27. Chapter 27

Note: Altho clearly fanfiction is different from a light novel, I should still finish it and give it an ending. Surprisingly, the breakdown of chapters has become longer then I thought it would be.

Chapter 27

You think darkness is your ally. You've merely adapted the dark. I was born in it, moulded by it. I didn't see the light until I was a man and by then it was only blinding.

-Bane

Jamie turned to the groups of children, now soon many shuffling and ready to bawl their eyes. Pitch stepped away from them with a frowned in his face while Sandy tried to settle a couple of kids down with some floating sands that turned into flying unicorns, dancing dolls, and robots. Bunnymund suddenly had kids rushing to him; 2 climbed on his back, 3 began to comb his fur and one began to touch his tail with a dazed look while muttering cotton candy.

Mick clapped his hands together. "All is well I suppose!" He casually elbowed Pick. "No need for us to come to the rescue, eh?" Pick just sighed tiredly, flapped his wing and flew up to the crow's nest where he settled to clean his beak. Mick looking perturbed, looked at Molten instead.

"Nah, you didn't miss all the fun." Molten smiled crazily and his eyes shined. Molten lurched forward with all his might, pulling loose on the shackles rope that was in Bunnymund's grip.

"Stop!" Jack shouted as sharp ice formed in the air. However, Molten licked his lips and continued to dash forwards to his closest targets he could find with his red beady eyes. Jack saw what was making Molten drool.

Jamie and Sophie.

Instinctively, Jack formed four icicles over his head with the remaining spilled moon water on the ground and without any hesitation, Jack swiped with his arms and they shot forward like spears. They flew in the air with enough force and speed to slice off the man's neck. Molten avoided them like a shadow- he swiftly dodged, slid, and docked. Yet, just as he gleefully reached out his claws at Jamie's eyes, he staggered aside. Molten glanced down and touched his wet chest that was lodged with icicle as wide as his fist.

Molten threw his head up to the sky and howled with his claws stretched out. Then, as if all air was depleted in his lungs, he exhaled a sad chuckle and collapsed on his side. "It's always the last one that gets me I suppose. " Molten stared up at frightened Jamie hugging wide-eyed Sarah. Bunnymund ran to their side with a boomerang in his hand acting as a shield while Sandy surrounded the kids in a giant globe of thick sand.

"Ha...there goes my chance. It looks like I gave you all such a fright. What a bad manner I have. Hehehe...but I couldn't help it you see, I was envious. I just wanted what you humans had." He gurgled.

Molten saw something soften in Jamie's eyes and saw his own reflection of himself slowing morphing and melting. "It looks like this is the end for me. But I rather have a company in facing death." Molten chocked out on his last breath. From Molten's stomach, a large blob expanded and separated, landing with a soft plop onto the ground. From the blob rose a child Molten with an impish grin. It roared and rushed toward the basement cellar door where North has popped out.

Everything happened too quickly.

"What in the artic blaze-?" North yelped as kid-sized Molten climbed up to his waist and grabbed a sabre. Kid Molten launched off of North's chest and spun around and rushed to face Pitch with a daredevil grin.

"When would you ever learn to give up?" Pitch amusingly said. He pulled out his own dagger to face a measly kid-sized Molten.

Then a sudden bolt of light fell on Pitch's eyes. He cursed out loud and rubbed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he realized he was looking at a tree in the darkness. He felt dry green leaves rustle as he stood up. In the evening light, the silent dark forest loomed over him, ever imposing with natural authority with unknown darkness that hid under the shrubs. The air felt thick with humidity and musty smell mixed with pine. No sounds of birds could be heard; the forest has suffocated any noise and light.

Where was he at?

He felt a snarl leave his mouth and realized he was moving without any intention to. But he felt himself rise up higher and sniffle his nose. He smelled something delicious. He felt drool form in his mouth and rushed forward crazily, losing all reasons. Leaves and branches broke under his pursuit as he struck them quickly to the side and dodged. A loud shriek followed as he grabbed an arm of a young kid, shivering in the shadow under a coniferous tree. The child had ginger hair and looked up with wet green eyes.

"Who-who are you?" The lost child stammered. Pitch opened his mouth to answer but only a smile stretched his face. The child asked again. "Could you help me to find my parents? I got lost when I came to pick herbs with them." Pitch screamed in his head to run, far away, yet the Bogeyman stayed silent.

He reached out to the kid's trembling eyes and felt a swell of his nightmares rise up from the ground. The lost child screeched as he teetered backward with fears in his eyes. "Mom! Dad!" The child cried out, but soon the child was swallowed up by the nightmares. Pitch felts himself watching with cold callous eyes until from the dissipating nightmares emerged a single dark creature with spikes shuddering in the middle. The dark creature shrieked into the night recklessly bearing it's sharp teeth to Pitch. Pitch slowly reached out to stroke dark creature's spikes and felt satisfaction drip into his skin.

"My greatest creation." The Bogeyman whispered and he cackled in the suffocating forest.

Pitch gasped and stumbled backward as the flashback ended. He turned a kid into a Fearling. _When?_ he thought frantically. However, Pitch never finished his thought as he felt something sink into his stomach.

"My last present to you." Kid Molten cackled in satisfaction until he was no more, scattered into emptiness.

Pitch screamed.


	28. Chapter 28

Note: Shocking. When did this story ever get so long...I tried re-reading it other day and realized it took me longer than I thought.

Chapter 28

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.

-Edgar Allen Poe-

A thousand watts travelled from the stomach into Pitch's brain. Or at least, that's what it felt like to him. He vaguely heard someone was letting out a strangled scream but, he quickly realized it was coming from his own mouth. His aberrant shouted startled everyone to freeze as he stood on the deck, clutching the grip of the sabre that went through his stomach.

His legs lost all energy to stand and with a heavy thud, it hit the floor. The air has left his lung after his hollering, leaving his throat tinging with soreness and gasping as liquid rush into his mouth. He gagged, keened and groaned while everything in his head screamed to get the sabre out of his body. His hands were now slippery covered in red.

He felt another revelation stun him besides a sabre sticking out of him like a voodoo doll with a needle.

His blood wasn't black. It was red. They spilled forth like a hot tap, warm and sticky in his hand.

"Don't take out the sabre yet!" Tooth shouted. She rushed to his side and grasped the sabre in the place while Pitch was trying to dislodge in a frenzy of pain. "If we take it out now, you're going to lose more," she paused as her eyes widened, "blood."

Pitch let out a dry chuckle. Blood was what made feel fear? He should have bled red long time ago if he knew.

From Pitch's flickering vision, everyone was crowding around urgently.

"I have never seen a spirit bleed but, Tooth is right. We need a way to seal off the wound first if we were to take the sabre out." North tensed.

"Is there any first aid kit around here?" Bunnymund snapped at Mick. Mick shook his head skittishly.

"You're going to try to-huff-fix me with-with a human method?" Pitch chuckled softly. "How-how foolish."

"Stop talking damn it!" Bunnymund shouted. "We need to try something at least."

Pitch looked at Bunnymund with a mocking glance. Death was a sore subject for the guardians that have surrounded themselves with lights, he thought. They never thought there could be an end to their unending duties.

"I-I have an idea. But I don't know if it will work." Jack stuttered. He didn't know that spirits could bleed. But it has always been such a strange case with Pitch. He bled black blood but, now he was bleeding just like a human would. "Blood is liquid. I can freeze it and seal it off internally and on the surface. But, I don't know if that will help to heal."

Pitch convulsed and coughed blood that was pooling at the back of his throat. Sweats ran down on his monotonous pale skin as if he ran five kilometres in a minute.

Bunnymund looked at Pitch and then back at Jack. "Well, I don't think you can make it worst."

Tooth and Jack glanced at Pitch who was starting to fade in and out of consciousness. Tooth gritted her teeth. "Let's do it."

Tooth grabbed the sabre's grip and slowly pulled out the sabre. Jack was right beside her like a nurse to an operation. He began to delicately pour his power to freeze the bleeding internally and to have it spread out externally. Sweat poured down on Jack's concentrated face while Tooth bit her tongue. Bunnymund looked away with a frantic heart, North stared with a frightful fear in his eyes that did not match his bravado, and Sandy surrounded by sleeping children, gazed at the huddled group with hopefulness.

Pitch felt a numbness; a coldness that was different from his dull dead grey skin that was already sapped of energy. It made his breath frostier, sharper with a hint of peppermint he could taste at the back of his mouth.

Wet red sabre clattered to the ground and at the tearing lied a thin coat of ice that stretched out like a big old scar. Pitch spatted out the rest of the blood that was in his throat and his chest rose and fell at ease.

"I did it," Jack said as he looked at his own hand in surprise. He never thought his ice could be used to ever prevent death. Slowly, he smiled in amazement. Despite his achievement, his expression took a grim turn. Pitch's body was covered with shattering lines that spread out like a brittle piece of collapsing cliff. They were running out of time.

"Who are you Pitch?" North said in wonder. With so many winding and twisting questions, North could no longer ignore the building coincidence that he has been noticing like a detective piecing together clues to see the bigger picture. But, he didn't get his answer because Pitch was already in a deep sleep.

* * *

He was alone in the dark. He knew he was dreaming; the darkness was dense, fluid and alive. Something pressed in his abdomen and pain blossomed. It spread like a wild vine with its deadly root that gripped Pitch to freeze on the spot. Pitch hissed and saw a sabre, lodged into his body like a half of a whole. Yet, he wasn't shocked by the pain but by the hands that gripped and twisted the sabre deeper.

Pitch followed the trails of hands and found himself gazing into Jack's eyes. They were cold, hard and unrelenting. Side by side they stood; adamant North, snarling Bunnymund, merciless Tooth and dissonant Sandy. They stared at him with anger and horror, pushing the sabre deeper. Pitch judged their betrayal. It was uncomprehending and appalling that left him panting and wheezing in pain.

Desperate, he opened his mouth to plead, to beg, to halt the procession of his untimely demise. But, they raised their left hand and pointed down. He looked past the sabre and into the darkness. Slowly, the bodies of children surfaced all around him with their pink tongues and white of their eyes glistened.

Stop. He thought. Stop this.

The bodies of children twitched and their slender fingers gently wrapped around his leg. The sabre viciously pulled back, leaving Pitch to bleed out.

I don't want to die, he thought.

But, he gradually fell to his knees and the lethal slender arms wrapped around his like boas.

I'm sorry, Pitch thought. I'm sorry.

The arms wiped the tears and pleasantly cupped his cheeks and his skull.

I want to die, Pitch thought. Let me die.

They forced open Pitch's mouth with unnatural strength. He stared at their dead eyes that smiled almost motherly as if they were all-knowing. The darkness rippled and pulsed like a living geyser. Like a ghost covered in black, it rosed up in its humanoid form and raised its right arm.

_Drink_, it ordered. Black liquid gushed out of its hand.

No. No. NO-

The arms pushed him toward the black liquid. It soaked his face into his gaping mouth, down his esophagus, and into his core.

Pitch couldn't scream.

* * *

When Pitch opened his eyes, he thought he went mad.

All around him were children, sleeping innocently in a king-size bed. They were all snuggled beside him like dolls, some sucking their thumbs while others were rolled up like Roly Poly. Pitch knew he was back in North's workshop. He could feel the soft pillow caressing his neck like a vapour cloud under his skin and the sinking mattress that fit perfectly to his form. The bed was neither soft nor hard, just perfect in between.

Pitch wiped the sweat running down his eyes, swallowed the air, and tried to sit up. Wincing, he propped his elbow to look around the room. All around the beds were empty chairs. He felt the warmth from the artic sunshine and determined it to be past noon.

Pitch patted himself and finding that he was not dissipating into nothingness, he looked at the remaining hour indicated by the necklace pocket watch.

He only had an hour left. An alarm silent rang in his head but soon, that too fell away, buried under the events that rushed back into his head.

But an hour left to do what, he wondered. He has failed to find Mother Goose and let alone finding a cure to his predicament. What he has been doing was fulfilling a promise for an empty-headed child and finding out where the Fearlings came from. He buried his head deep into the palm of his head. He could still taste the fear of the lost child turned into a Fearling at the back of his tongue. It left a feeling of abhorrent and giddy horror that made him want to throw up in pain while smiling in pure happiness. He chocked on the truth, wishing it was a lie.

He stared at the children using only the corner of his eyes; he couldn't bear to look at them and he couldn't bear to touch them with his thin pale grey hands. They cried and shouted at the guilt of his own atrocious nature that would inevitably destroy them all. Clutching his black hair, he felt a rise in laughter rattling his lungs. He throttled and smothered it by covering his mouth with his remaining hand.

He didn't go mad. He was wrong about himself. He was already mad. Madness has followed him like a shadow.

At that moment, the door across from the bed creaked open and Pitch flinched. Sandy tiptoed through the door like a ninja and came to halt when he met Pitch's stare. Sandy then threw his hand up in the air in an exclamation and exited from the very door he entered. After a pause, the door burst open and the guardians piled into the room. Elation filled their eyes and they missed the distraught air that surrounded Pitch.

"What's going on?" Pitch demanded. But no one responded to his question. Instead, North lifted Pitch up and rushed him out the door. When Pitch finally wrenched himself away from the group with trembling legs, he commanded. "Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on here. Now."

"We wanted to tell you directly," Jack exclaimed in excitement.

"Tell me what?" Pitch uttered in confusion.

"We found her. We found the Mother Goose."


	29. Chapter 29

Note: Wow, sorry guys, it has been far too long ever since I updated this story. Life happened, covid-19 happened and uncertainty about the future happened. But, I'm back at it so onward we go (it is a lot easier to write after taking a break from it!).

Chapter 29

Silence is a lie that screams at the light."  
― Shannon L. Alder

The Mother Goose laid in bed still like a life-size doll yet on closer inspection, her chest moved the blanket slightly up and down. Her long auburn curls shaped her square tanned face. The freckled face faced up toward the ceiling was pale and smooth without any blemish. Her thick eyebrows were set on a frown.

When Pitch saw her, a flash of vivid image flashed through his mind; a young stubborn girl, freckles with long auburn curls tied in a low ponytail scowled at him, unafraid.

Pitch blinked, and the image was gone once more, gone deep into the unconsciousness of his dark mind. He was at the cusp of the arched doorway as North sat by her side, stroking her hair like a father stroking his daughter's hair as she fell asleep. The only thing that was missing was a bedtime storybook beside the bed on top of a table. Tooth fluttered nervously, Jack amused himself with Teeth who flew around joyously for the reunion. Bunnymund silently munched on a carrot while he leaned against the wall opposite of the bed, deep in thought.

Pitch raised his foot to take a step inside the room, but staring at the North by the Mother Goose side made him hesitate. He was an outsider, looking into an impossible scene where warm mid-afternoon sunlight creating a shine against each individual like there was holo on top of their head, a woman sleeping soundly surrounded and loved by the protective guardian angels.

His heart squeezed and it took the breath out of his lung. He suddenly knew.

He didn't belong here.

He should have felt some feeling of accomplishment or happiness when Jack told him they have found the Mother Goose. It was a miraculous coincidence, Jack told Pitch excitedly. Mother Goose was one of the adult captives they found in the nest of the Spider.

Yet, all Pitch felt was an impending doom like he was tightening the noose around his own neck. He didn't understand why he felt in such a way, but he knew, deep in his gut, he should not meet the Mother Goose, let alone stay in the same room with her. A piece of a puzzle was missing to see the whole picture he needed to see.

Not noticing Pitch's conflicting emotions, Jack pondered for a bit by himself, wondering if it was a miracle they have found the Mother Goose on a very ship they hijacked to save the kids and the adults. Yet, he quickly dismissed the thought thinking it was too complicated and told Pitch to follow him to meet the sleeping Mother Goose.

Hence, Pitch stood frozen by the door, wondering what would happen if the Mother Goose woke up and listened to his request. He looked down at the ticking clock over his chest. He was running out of time and with each time he lost unconsciousness, the dreams were becoming more vivid.

His thought was interrupted when behind him, Mick pushed him forward into the room to enter. Right behind Mick, Pick swooped in and perched on the bedside leg. Bunny looked up in surprise. "You guys are still here?"

"Of course we are!" Mick fumed. "We still haven't received our payments!"

Tooth smiled in amusement and Jack frowned in annoyance. "I thought it was a free service," Jack said, stretching the word service for a good measure.

"Free service? Free service! Are you crazy!" Mick shouted. "Look at all the goods you guys have here! And here we thought we would do you all a favour for giving away a free ride on my ship because you guys seemed penniless. Well, no more free charity. We demand payment." Pick nodded in agreement and his eyes shown greedily at a golden shield hanging above the fireplace.

A shadow flickered against the fireplace, slowly, it stretched taller, denser and heavier. Feeling a presence staring at the back of his neck, Mick turned around and realized the person he has pushed aside to enter the room was Pitch himself. Pick gulped.

"Ah! Mister Pitch! What we meant to say is uh well, we just think that, uh" Mick stuttered, his famous mouth for endlessly bargaining dried up like a desert.

"Your loud bickering will wake her up." Pitch quietly hissed. Then, the shadow both swooped them up and threw them out of the room. The door shut with a resounding click behind their back. Finally, letting out the breath he was holding, he turned around only to see North's eyes brighten up. Like a magical moment from the sleeping beauty, the Mother Goose slowly opened her grey eyes and met North's eyes.

The woman blinked once and then frowned. "North?" She whispered.

"Aye, it's me. Welcome back to the land of the living, Katherine." North smiled.

"Ugh, I feel like I have the worst hangover." The Mother Goose groaned loudly. Then her grey eyes widened as the memories caught up to her. She sat up so quickly that she smacked her forehead against North's chin. The Mother Goose let out a cry and rubbed her forehead to ease the aching pain. "Oh, I'm going to feel that tomorrow."

She turned to her side to watch North chuckle and enveloped in a warm hug. "How long has it been? I can't remember the last time I saw you! I missed you so much." Katherine excitedly exclaimed.

"Not since you went off saying you wanted to collect stories around the world. I missed you too." North chuckled. But, a downcast fell on his face. "Do you remember what happened to you? We found you in the Sea of Stars, captured by beings called Fearlings."

Katherine looked down to her lap and scowled. "Of course I remember. They kidnapped me when I was in Peru, talking with a child late at night. The last thing I remember is the frightened face of a child with shadows like creature swallowing the campfire." Her hands trembled. North grasped her trembling hand gently.

"You are always safe here. Always." North reassured her.

"I know that!" She grinned. "I'm not a child anymore." She said sheepishly. Finally, she looked away from North and noticed that she had an audience. Bunny gave her a two fingers salute, Jack smiled and Tooth fluttered closer to give her a hug as well. Her eyes lingered longer at Jack with an expression he couldn't read. Then, her wide eyes finally fell toward Pitch.

"So, you got a new recruit while I was gone. But, what is he doing here?" Katherine said coldly and stabbed her finger at Pitch standing in the corner, looking awkwardly to the side. "I'm not even surprised. I figured he was involved somehow in the kidnapping. Anyone care to explain?"

Pitch opened his mouth as he began to frown, but a knock on the door turned all of their head. Sheepishly, Sandy stood by the small gap of the door with holding multiple trays filled with cups of tea using his magic sand.

North beamed. "How about we talk it over with a cup of tea?"


End file.
